The History of Fireworks: Part 4 | The Influence of Fireworks
Who Were the First to See Fireworks In this day and age, fireworks can be seen on display during celebrations, national holidays and at ILLUMINATING festivals such as GlobalFest! But were fireworks always this accessible? Who was the first to see them? And which countries made them what they are today? In the beginning, fireworks were gunpowder packed into bamboo shoots and thrown into fire but eventually, they evolved into so much more! Soon after, the Chinese developed paper tubing and paper fuses for easier ignition. This super innovative technology was soon picked up by Italian explorer Marco Polo while
The History of Fireworks: Part 3
How Much Does a Firework Show Generally Cost? You might be wondering how much these elaborate and dazzling shows cost. Let’s just say, it’s a lot of bucks for your bang! Some of the bigger and more complex shows that include music, digital coordination, and large firework shells can cost upwards of $2600 CAD per minute! Ottawa's 150th-year celebration was Canada’s most expensive firework show EVER put on - $250,000.00 was invested into this breathtaking show displayed over Parliament Hill. Shows as large as this require an extreme amount of attention to detail and timing. This display included more
The History of Fireworks: Part 2
Where Exactly Were Fireworks Discovered? We all know that fireworks are used in celebrations all over the world, but did you know that fireworks were first discovered in ancient China? There are two conflicting accounts of how fireworks were first discovered. First, is that a Chinese cook accidentally mixed three cooking ingredients together: sulphur, charcoal, and saltpetre. These ingredients were mixed together to create a really loud explosion. The second is that ancient Chinese Daoists discovered fireworks in their search for eternal life. You might be wondering what this all means, so let’s dig in! Daoism, pronounced (Dow-is-em) is a
The History of Fireworks: Part 1
When Were Fireworks First Created? How far back do fireworks go? Pretty far back actually, in fact, the first rumoured use of fireworks dates back to 200BC China! That’s 2200 years ago! Early stories suggest the discovery was a serendipitous one, which took place while searching for a recipe for eternal life. Fireworks back then were pretty primitive compared to the complex versions we have now, they consisted of throwing bamboo shafts filled with sulfur, saltpetre, and charcoal into an open flame to create a dramatic explosion. The hope was to use this newly discovered phenomenon to ward off evil
