Fireworks & Fun
Image Provided by: John McShane
Name That Firework
Every year, “A Capitol Fourth” strives to bring you the best fireworks of any July 4th celebration. But did you know there are more than a dozen types of firework effects? Here are a few of the styles that you may see at the "A Capitol Fourth" celebration.
Peony
The most common type of firework, the peony shell type is a spherical break of colored stars that burn without a tail effect.
Chrysanthemum
A spherical break of colored stars, similar to a peony, but with stars that leave a visible trail of sparks.
Willow
The willow is similar to a chrysanthemum, but with long-burning silver or gold stars that produce a soft, dome-shaped weeping willow-like effect.
Palm
A shell containing a few large comet stars arranged to burst with large tendrils, producing a palm tree-like effect.
Diadem
This shell is a type of peony or chrysanthemum that has a center cluster of non-moving stars.
Crossette
A shell containing several large stars that travel a short distance before breaking apart into smaller stars, leaving a crisscross effect.
Multi-break shells
A large shell containing several smaller shells of various sizes and types. The initial burst scatters the shells across the sky before they explode.
Salute
A shell intended to produce a loud report rather than a visual effect. Salute shells usually contain flash powder, producing a quick flash followed by a very loud report.
Mine
A mine is a ground firework that expels stars and/or other garnitures into the sky. Mines are shot from a mortar and can project small reports, serpents, small shells and stars.
Roman candle
A Roman candle is a long tube containing several large stars, which fire at a regular interval and are typically arranged in fan or crisscross shapes.
Cake
A cake is a cluster of individual tubes linked by fuse that fires a series of aerial effects. A single cake can have over 1,000 shots.