The Summer Hills 2nd annual Fireworks Spectacular
Donation protected
We hope you all enjoyed last year's show.
This year's show will be even bigger so you won't want to miss it!
The show is made possible by:
a) Some minimal support from the HOA (Porta potty, crowd barriers, etc) .
b) One family (Sarah and Riley Thompson) going so far far above and beyond (see detail below)
c) Volunteers providing dozens of hours of their time.
Obliviously that model is not only unfair but also not sustainable.
While donations are not required, they are appreciated and will help ensure the Summer hills fire works is an ongoing venture.
In the unlikely event that donations exceed costs, the surplus will be used towards a New Years Eve show and next year's July 4th show.
If you can't pitch in financially, please consider volunteering for the setup, clean up, or other tasks (contact the social committee for details of how you can help).
Hope to see you all on the 4th.
THE MAKING OF THE SUMMER HILLS PYROMUSICAL
MATERIALS: (one time use)
Fireworks (wholesale) $10,200 (retail this would be closer to $25,000)
Igniters and wire $1,100
Various rolls of fuse $250
Tape, foil, Zipties $30
(reusable, requires storage)
Mortar racks $800
Launch controller system $1400
Lumber & materials for effects $450
TOTAL $14,230
OTHER COSTS
Insurance $2500 (Lloyds of London)
PA speaker rental $300
Fire department $500 (est)
Temp Fence $350
Port a Potty $TBD
LABOR
Pyro Director: 1
Pyrotechnicians: 4
Crowd Control Volunteers
PROCESS:
1. Select 4-5 dynamic songs with mass audience appeal/non offensive. Think Super Bowl music.
2. Six months + in advance and through various websites watch videos of a few hundred fireworks/effects, select the best/most unique. Record and note time from lighting, lighting to charge, duration of effect to be used for setting precise firing times.
3. Place orders at least four months in advance to guarantee stock, order enough volume (min $8K) to obtain the lowest wholesale pricing.
4. Puzzle time. Using effect type and duration lengths, listen to the songs over and over in order to place each effect in the proper song, time slot and assign a cue #. Input results into Launch Control software to create the set list, cue timing and cue order.
5. Design the layout. In this years show there are 16-4x8’ storyboard sheets right/left/center, 3 elevated platforms r/l/c for low-level effects, mine board that will explode to the beat of the music, dueling roman candle racks, a 50’ long 8’ tall waterfall trellis, and 8 different mortar racks.
6. Build and paint rack, boards, etc and attach handles for carrying.
7. One month prior to show begin wiring every effect, and fusing married effects.Label every wire with its cue #. This takes three people a full week of work, done over the month during nights/weekend.
8. Day before show prep field, set up barriers.
9. Morning/afternoon of show haul all of the above to the show site and distribute on the field according to show map.
10. Set up and test firing receiver board, insert all wires into the proper cue slot on the receivers.
11. Set up generator, speakers, laptops, and Launch control transmitter station.
12. Fire show
13. Immediately after show, load up reusable items.
14. Day after show, clean up field of all one time use items.
This years show will have many unique effects never previously seen in WA, over 14,000 ariel shots, 300+ mortars, and 100+ large cakes. It is over double the size of last years show and about 10 times more complex due to syncing it to music. While HOA and neighborhood shows are becoming more common nationwide, the 2019 Summer Hills show will easily be in the top 10% of “backyard” shows per one of the nation’s largest fireworks suppliers.
This year's show will be even bigger so you won't want to miss it!
The show is made possible by:
a) Some minimal support from the HOA (Porta potty, crowd barriers, etc) .
b) One family (Sarah and Riley Thompson) going so far far above and beyond (see detail below)
c) Volunteers providing dozens of hours of their time.
Obliviously that model is not only unfair but also not sustainable.
While donations are not required, they are appreciated and will help ensure the Summer hills fire works is an ongoing venture.
In the unlikely event that donations exceed costs, the surplus will be used towards a New Years Eve show and next year's July 4th show.
If you can't pitch in financially, please consider volunteering for the setup, clean up, or other tasks (contact the social committee for details of how you can help).
Hope to see you all on the 4th.
THE MAKING OF THE SUMMER HILLS PYROMUSICAL
MATERIALS: (one time use)
Fireworks (wholesale) $10,200 (retail this would be closer to $25,000)Igniters and wire $1,100
Various rolls of fuse $250
Tape, foil, Zipties $30
(reusable, requires storage)
Mortar racks $800
Launch controller system $1400
Lumber & materials for effects $450
TOTAL $14,230
OTHER COSTS
Insurance $2500 (Lloyds of London)
PA speaker rental $300
Fire department $500 (est)
Temp Fence $350
Port a Potty $TBD
LABOR
Pyro Director: 1
Pyrotechnicians: 4
Crowd Control Volunteers
PROCESS:
1. Select 4-5 dynamic songs with mass audience appeal/non offensive. Think Super Bowl music.
2. Six months + in advance and through various websites watch videos of a few hundred fireworks/effects, select the best/most unique. Record and note time from lighting, lighting to charge, duration of effect to be used for setting precise firing times.
3. Place orders at least four months in advance to guarantee stock, order enough volume (min $8K) to obtain the lowest wholesale pricing.
4. Puzzle time. Using effect type and duration lengths, listen to the songs over and over in order to place each effect in the proper song, time slot and assign a cue #. Input results into Launch Control software to create the set list, cue timing and cue order.
5. Design the layout. In this years show there are 16-4x8’ storyboard sheets right/left/center, 3 elevated platforms r/l/c for low-level effects, mine board that will explode to the beat of the music, dueling roman candle racks, a 50’ long 8’ tall waterfall trellis, and 8 different mortar racks.
6. Build and paint rack, boards, etc and attach handles for carrying.
7. One month prior to show begin wiring every effect, and fusing married effects.Label every wire with its cue #. This takes three people a full week of work, done over the month during nights/weekend.
8. Day before show prep field, set up barriers.
9. Morning/afternoon of show haul all of the above to the show site and distribute on the field according to show map.
10. Set up and test firing receiver board, insert all wires into the proper cue slot on the receivers.
11. Set up generator, speakers, laptops, and Launch control transmitter station.
12. Fire show
13. Immediately after show, load up reusable items.
14. Day after show, clean up field of all one time use items.
This years show will have many unique effects never previously seen in WA, over 14,000 ariel shots, 300+ mortars, and 100+ large cakes. It is over double the size of last years show and about 10 times more complex due to syncing it to music. While HOA and neighborhood shows are becoming more common nationwide, the 2019 Summer Hills show will easily be in the top 10% of “backyard” shows per one of the nation’s largest fireworks suppliers.
Organizer and beneficiary
Amos Tsikayi
Organizer
Brush Prairie, WA
Sarah Thompson
Beneficiary
