Know your space
Fountains and ground items need about 25 feet of clearance. 200-gram cakes need 75 feet. 500-gram cakes and artillery shells need 150 feet, with nothing overhead. Pace it off before you shop.
If your clearance is under 75 feet, build a fountain-and-novelty show. It can still be a great one.
Pace the show
Audiences lose interest after about 20 minutes. Plan for 15 to 20, alternating loud and quiet so the finale lands. A simple structure: opener (quiet), build (medium cakes), break (fountains while you reset), finale (your biggest cake).
Three budgets
Around $100: four fountains, two 200-gram cakes, sparklers for the kids. About 10 minutes.
Around $250: the first-show shopping list from our first-time buyer's guide (two fountains, three 200-gram cakes, an artillery kit and a 500-gram finale) plus a second artillery kit. About 15 minutes.
Around $500: two 500-gram cakes, two artillery kits, four 200-gram cakes, fountains and candles. A full 20 minutes with a real finale.
Planning for the Fourth of July? Our July 4th buying guide covers sale dates, store hours and what to buy for a crowd.
Lighting two at once
Once you are comfortable, lighting two cakes at the same time fills the sky. Place them 10 feet apart, light the far one first, and never reach over a lit fuse.
Bring your measurements and budget to the McKinney superstore or any NyTex store and we will match the lineup to your yard. Before you set up, read our family safety tips.