Santa Maria residents had a city-wide party Wednesday night at their Red, White, and Boom event.
The ‘Pyrospectaculars’ and their crew have spent the entire day setting up. Many of them have been lighting explosives since they were teenagers. On Wednesday night they blew up more than 460 aerials in a 20-minute show.
“Well it’s Fourth of July so we’re gonna shoot off a bunch of aerial bombs and light up the sky for you,” said Steve Albert, pyrotechnician.
Like their safety helmets say, “no wimps” allowed! The highly trained pyrotechnics seem to have no fear.
“Cause safe and sane just isn’t any fun,” Albert said. “We like to do the dumb and dangerous. We got some really big ones tonight so it’s going to be kind of loud.”
The crew set up hundreds of pounds of explosives to entertain those at Pioneer Valley High School.
“We have 2-inch all the way up to 8-inch aerials, which are large,” Albert said.
For reference that’s bigger than someone’s head.
“It’s addicting,” Albert said. “It’s the rush of the explosion, feeling the concussion as the aerial is coming out of the tube. Watching the explosion up in the sky. Everything together is just awesome.”
This group designs where each firework will explode and the music that goes along.
“It’s the rush of the setting it up, it’s the rush of your stuff going up in the air,” Albert told KSBY News. “It’s a blank canvas and I’m the artist, it’s fun!”
$30,000 of fireworks were blown up for hundreds to enjoy.
