Fireworks are seen from the roof of the Hilton Hotel in this July 2007 file photo as they burst above Lake Michigan along the shores of downtown Chicago, Ill., as part of Independence Day celebrations.
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The recession has forced the cancellation of fireworks displays in a number of places around the country like Blue Springs, Mo., and Mesa, Ariz. But many of the biggest and best-known displays will be nearly as spectacular as ever.
"Some larger displays have been trimmed a bit but nothing that will have a major impact on the industry," said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association.
The timing of the holiday, on a Saturday, has actually "helped the fireworks industry" in some places, said M. Philip Butler, spokesman for Grucci, the famous fireworks company. "Whenever it's a Saturday Fourth of July, we will have as much as a 50 percent increase in demand."
Grucci shows this year include displays in Dallas, Omaha, Neb., Hawaii and Portland, Maine, along with Station Casinos in Las Vegas and the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.
Butler said "the most popular shell is still the happy face." And fireworks choreographed to music — often patriotic medleys, sometimes performed live — also remain popular, usually with radio simulcasts.
Patterns and shapes like stars, fish, hearts and cubes are becoming more prevalent, Heckman said. "The real challenge is making letters appear in the sky," she said. "It's really difficult to get an aerial shell to break so it looks like an M and not a W."
Grucci's fireworks at the Hickam Air Force Base and Pearl Harbor in Hawaii are scheduled to send up the letters "USA" while the national anthem is played.
Heckman issues an annual list of "must-see" fireworks shows, but she says your local display may be just as much fun. "The low-level show, which you're not going to see in a big city skyline, can be prettier," she said. "And a lot of the fun of it is just the community involvement, hanging out and tailgating and waiting for that first burst."
What Heckman calls "star-spangled spectaculars" will take place as usual in New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington and Boston, which is known for its famous Fourth of July Boston Pops concert, this year featuring Neil Diamond. But here are a dozen more fireworks displays recommended by the American Pyrotechnics Association, including a few scheduled for July 3:
