DICKSON CITY — The Fourth of July falling on a Saturday coupled with the 250th anniversary of the United States bodes well for Bulldog Fireworks in the borough and other shops throughout the region and country.
Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, anticipates record-breaking and potentially record-shattering fireworks sales this year.
“We hit an all-time high with industry revenue in 2025, combined consumer and display, at $2.95 billion,” she said. “I’m predicting we are going to exceed that, and that industry revenues will fall somewhere between $3 billion to as high as $4 billion. It’s going to be a blockbuster year for the pyrotechnics industry. Demand for backyard consumer fireworks is up, and it is climbing each day as we get closer to America’s 250th birthday.”
Owner Chuck Karam points out a section of patriotic fireworks at Bulldog Fireworks in Dickson City Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
A worker pushes a dolly with boxes of fireworks to stock the shelves at Bulldog Fireworks in Dickson City Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Patriotic fireworks are on sale at Bulldog Fireworks in Dickson City Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Workers Cadyn Karam, Cambria Karam, and Brooke Covington pose for a photograph in Bulldog Fireworks in Dickson City Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Owner Chuck Karam points out a section of patriotic fireworks at Bulldog Fireworks in Dickson City Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Chuck Karam, owner of Bulldog Fireworks, 1217 Scranton Carbondale Hwy., noted foot traffic has been much heavier than last year and hopes to increase sales by about 15% for the holiday in 2026.
“Fireworks are a national tradition,” he said. “People are excited about the Fourth of July landing on a Saturday, and it being the country’s 250th anniversary birthday celebration. The average purchase is up and people shop until the last minute.”
The Fourth of July is typically the store’s busiest day and Karam expects to see a mix of regulars, former customers and new ones.
In addition to anything red, white and blue, Karam noted repeater cakes — which fire multiple shots into the air — have been popular.
With large crowds expected to swarm the store leading up to the holiday, Karam made some logistical changes to improve efficiency.
“We ramped up our operations,” he said. “We have extra staff on hand, and extra registers set up to check people out and expedite the shopping experience.”
A reduction in tariffs has kept prices steady this year, despite freight costs remaining a little higher than normal, Karam said.
Karam — who launched the business in 2011 — believes this could potentially be the second most profitable Fourth of July season, trailing only the COVID year in 2020.
The fireworks industry has experienced substantial growth during the past five decades as consumption increased by more than 1,000% throughout the country, from 29 million pounds in 1976 to 322.4 million in 2025, according to data from the American Pyrotechnics Association.
“The bicentennial pretty much put the industry on the map,” Heckman said. “That was one of the biggest anniversaries where cities had very elaborate displays. It was also the first year that the Consumer Product Safety Commission promulgated its first regulations for backyard consumer fireworks. Usage continued to climb and the next big bump was the millennium celebrations in 2000. This is our next big anniversary. With America250, just the anticipation and excitement of this once-in-a-generation milestone anniversary is really going to set historic sales levels for the firework industry.”
While drone light shows have gained some traction in recent years, Heckman maintains that consumers prefer the traditional loud booms to the nearly silent alternative.
“The emergence of drones can be a great enhancement to a firework display, but a drone show is not very successful on its own,” she said. “They just don’t hold your attention beyond about 60 seconds, whereas a firework display is multisensory. You see and visualize the bright colors, you can hear the concussions and the whistles, and often you can smell the smoke. The anticipation and excitement about a firework display being live is really what brings the community together. Every professional fireworks display is going to be bigger, bolder, more elaborate than ever before this year.”
Bryan Heal, owner of Springbrook Fireworks in Pittston Twp., also feels there is more anticipation and excitement around the holiday as customers want to celebrate a milestone birthday for the country. Specifically, Heal said super stinger mortar shells have been the most popular item.
“It just seems like people are buying a little bit more,” he said.
Erin Conway, assistant manager for Dyberry Fireworks in Dyberry Twp., Wayne County, has witnessed more shoppers and bigger orders leading up to the holiday this year
Conway anticipates 2026 may be one the best revenue years in the shop’s 35 years, as customers have been looking for various types of products.
“It’s everything, not really any specific item,” she said.
Miguel Santiago, 65, of Scranton, stopped in Bulldog Fireworks on Wednesday to purchase some aerial mortar shells for a gathering on July 4 featuring family, friends, smoked brisket and, of course, fireworks.
Santiago plans to hold a bigger celebration this year for the nation’s 250th birthday.
“We usually have a little group, but we have extra friends coming over,” he said.