Behind the Scenes of Zanesville’s Fourth of July Fireworks Displays

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – While you are out enjoying the fireworks display Thursday evening…a crew of people behind the scenes is making the magic happen.

Stephen Vincent is a licensed pyrotechnician and local firefighter. He has been working the Zanesville fireworks for 25 years, setting them off by the Y-Bridge. Vincent said it’s enjoyable to bring the community together to celebrate the Nation through a magnificent firework show, but there is also a process.

“We have multiple trailers, you can see in the background, that have mortar tubes filled with mortar tubes. We load each one of those and then at 8 o’clock we shut down the Main Street side of the Y-Bridge and we back everything off on there to shoot off the Main, the Bridge. Safest place we can shoot Downtown,” said Vincent.

There will be a crew on the Bridge including Vincent’s son, Noah, who is also a licensed pyrotechnician. Noah said even though he no longer lives in Zanesville, he always enjoys coming home to help out with the Fourth of July celebration. Stephen and Noah also expressed that there is an art to the fireworks displays.

“There’s a fine line too between doing a twenty minute show that’s fantastic and everybody remembers, and a thirty minute show that everybody’s looking at their watches,” said the Vincents.

“You’ve gotta have a rhythm, and you’ve got to keep building. We like to create the longest show that’s most exciting for all of them,” they added.

Stars and Stripes on the River’s firework show will take place Thursday night at 9:45 p.m. at Zane’s Landing Park.