Communities nationwide have been gearing up to mark July 4 with major celebrations, capitalizing on the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. However, steep tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Chinese-manufactured fireworks, combined with exceptionally high demand, have forced certain localities to cancel their fireworks displays or pursue alternative funding strategies.
Ferguson announced in the previous month that it would cancel its July 4 fireworks display due to tariff-related cost increases that have doubled their yearly fireworks expenses to $40,000.
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Kirkwood has needed to significantly increase private donor support to offset budget shortfalls created by rising fireworks costs related to tariffs. The tariff increase has added $9,500 to this year’s July 4 celebration budget, bringing the total cost to $35,000, according to Kyle Henke, the city’s parks and recreation director. “That’s a $35,000 show,” Henke explains.
According to Henke, “The fundraising volunteers chose to expand their efforts and pursue additional contributions to meet the increased expenses. Currently, they have secured approximately 90 percent of the fireworks budget for this year.”
The JB Blast at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis County ranks among the region’s premier fireworks spectacles. However, in March, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page revealed the event would not proceed due to insufficient county funding. Page noted the event typically requires $50,000 in expenditures for fireworks purchases, concession operations, musical performances, and portable restroom rentals.
Page’s decision follows a contentious period on the St. Louis County Council regarding the current budget year, during which council members reduced funding for numerous initiatives by millions of dollars.
The fireworks sector experienced considerable uncertainty approximately one year prior.
In early April 2025, the Trump administration implemented a 145-percent tariff on fireworks manufactured in China as part of an intensifying reciprocal trade conflict. Thirty days later, when both nations agreed to a 90-day ceasefire, the tariff decreased to 30 percent. These rapid tariff fluctuations created substantial complications for American fireworks distributors, as 99 percent of consumer fireworks marketed in the U.S. originate from China, explains Ed Vasel, vice president of the National Fireworks Association.
Consumer fireworks currently face a 25.3 percent tariff, while display fireworks are subject to a 22.4 percent tariff rate.
The impact on local governments and private fireworks purchasers is particularly pronounced this season due to the industry’s extended procurement timeline of one to two years, Vasel explains.
“Previous year’s price increases were minimal despite record tariff levels,” he notes. “The majority of that merchandise arrived before the tariffs were assessed. With subsequent inventory turnover and replacement throughout the year, most current stock carries tariff costs.”
Nevertheless, the unprecedented desire of numerous communities to organize spectacular celebrations featuring elaborate pyrotechnic displays in honor of the 250th anniversary has created unprecedented demand for display fireworks—presenting challenges for organizations that deferred their orders.
“Many are being declined this year because the fireworks display sector lacks sufficient resources to fulfill all requests,” Vasel states.
Several St. Louis County municipalities were protected from tariff impacts because they had established long-term supplier agreements that predated the tariffs.
Webster Groves remains on track with a three-year contract’s final year for display fireworks, featuring a 25-minute performance on July 4 at Memorial Park with a budget of $25,000, according to James Boyd, the city’s parks and recreation director. “We had existing contracts, so we weren’t impacted,” Boyd states.
Webster Groves will commemorate Independence Day with a public Declaration of Independence recitation before City Hall on July 1 and will host the annual Community Days Parade on July 4, featuring thousands of participants and 73 floats traveling through the downtown area.
Florissant organizes an annual July 4 fireworks spectacular but anticipates no cost increase this year for its pyrotechnic display. This is because Florissant maintains a multi-year supplier contract executed prior to the tariff implementation. “We haven’t experienced any impact thus far,” explains Patrick Mulcahy, the Florissant city manager.
The most impressive fireworks display in the nation will take place in Las Vegas during the America250 celebration, which will feature synchronized pyrotechnics from 15 different locations throughout the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding valley, encompassing six casino rooftops and the 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower, according to Phil Grucci, CEO of Fireworks by Grucci, which is orchestrating the Las Vegas exhibition.
Traditional fireworks shows have experienced a strong resurgence after it appeared several years ago that synchronized drone performances might become the dominant entertainment format, according to Grucci, whose family business has maintained continuous operations since 1850.
Grucci contends that drone displays “cannot match the experience of traditional fireworks,” explaining, “It’s the intensity. It stimulates multiple senses. It represents creative expression against the night sky. Nothing compares to it.”
