Omaha: Fireworks Crazy!!

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:46 pm

I was talking with a guy from work from Denver where they have a fireworks ordinance in place like Omaha. He said he couldn't believe how people in Omaha got so crazy with fireworks. In Denver he said there aren't many fireworks shot off by private citizens.

I guess I thought we celebrated like everyone else. Have any of you new comers to Omaha noticed that we seem to go overboard?

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:57 pm

A common thing for us Omahan to do is shoot them off when their team wins a game and weeks before July 4th.

49r · Post by **49r** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:24 am

Since the climate is so much drier in Denver, the possibility of starting fires and the danger of those fires getting wildly out of control is quite a bit higher than in Omaha. I suppose that has a big effect on people.

murfj · Post by **murfj** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 8:13 am

I think a lot of places are similar to Omaha/Lincoln. A lot of it depends on the environment and the restrictions that the state government has put on fireworks- that seems to have a big effect on how excited/crazy people get about fireworks. Here in Nebraska we're restricted from buying a few different kinds of fun fireworks, however enough of the good ones are still legal that people still enjoy them and do buy a lot of them. I've lived in North and South Dakota, where pretty much everything is legal, and so it's equally- if not more- crazy up there. However I have lived in Oregon, where most of the areas are heavily forested, and so the state has banned any fireworks that explode due to the fire risk- which of course rules out any of the fun ones- and so fireworks just aren't a big part of the culture this time of the year. After all, who could get extremely excited about going to a fireworks stand to buy nothing but snakes and sparklers? :-)

Minneapolis Boy · Post by **Minneapolis Boy** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 8:20 am

I spent 12+ years in Minnesota. Minnesota is very restrictive on personal fireworks. Yet, many people go over to Wisconsin [from MPS/STP area] to purchase fireworks. Some people I know have older grandchildren - from Minnesota - who come to NE to visit and shoot off fireworks.

Will · Post by **Will** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:13 am

does anyone know if Kansas city is restrictive on fireworks. I would think that MO would be very big with fireworks with their state laws. IMO

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:06 pm

adam186 wrote:A common thing for us Omahan to do is shoot them off when their team wins a game and weeks before July 4th.

and suicide when they loose.
The only other city I saw that does it up like Otown was lala land.

49r · Post by **49r** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:40 pm

Will wrote:does anyone know if Kansas city is restrictive on fireworks. I would think that MO would be very big with fireworks with their state laws. IMO

Just like about everything else, the fireworks in Kansas City around 4th of July weekend are almost identical to Omaha, only on a larger scale.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:15 pm

When I was younger I remember on the east coast seeing some absolutely awesome displays on barges over on the east coast. But I'm sure they do it up right over there all down the coast.

mjbauer95 · Post by **mjbauer95** » Fri Jul 04, 2025 12:36 pm

Hate to bring up a dead topic like this, but as someone who recently moved here from the Kansas side of Kansas City, I would say it is definitely very different here. Omahans seem to love their fireworks - you can buy them at every corner and half our neighbors seem to have shot them off in their backyard at random hours of the day and night over the past week. This is West O, which might be particularly bad? I guess we have to say we’re not in Kansas any more lol. I’m sure eventually we’ll get used to them, but not sure if our dog ever will.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Jul 04, 2025 1:56 pm

Funny reading your Kansas City perspective on Omaha. My family went to KC for the 4th a couple years ago and we thought the fireworks were way worse. We were in that big park by Union Station and the war museum. The park was super crowded and lots of people were shooting off fireworks with complete disregard for anyone else’s safety. At one point my wife and I each grabbed one kid and ran out of the park as fast as we could with fireworks blowing up all around us. It seemed like one person’s firework landed in an other person’s pile of fireworks setting them all off. To this day my son still doesn’t really like fireworks.

Back to Omaha, it is crazy here. But for the most part people seem to be safe. I don’t really care as long as people don’t get stupid or shoot them off late into the night. Personally I don’t see the point in wasting money on my own fireworks when there are so many good free professional shows out there which are 1000 times better than anything I would do in my driveway.

Nosebot · Post by **Nosebot** » Fri Jul 04, 2025 7:36 pm

Brad wrote: Fri Jul 04, 2025 1:56 pm Personally I don’t see the point in wasting money on my own fireworks when there are so many good free professional shows out there which are 1000 times better than anything I would do in my driveway.

I used to buy them with my cousin back when you could get a decent show for a few hundred bucks, Now they are so expensive I don't know how anyone justifies buying them over just going to a show.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Sat Jul 05, 2025 9:38 am

I was gonna say I was surprised how early people shut it down. Most people were done by 9:45. I'm used to it turning down around 11. Sure, a few stragglers around til midnight, until... My lousy neighbors down the street started blowing off some of the loudest fireworks I've ever heard. At 1:30am. Theyre just lousy in every aspect every day, so it wasnt out of character. Outside of them, I'd say it was pretty normal, if not winding down a little earlier than I'd expect.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Sat Jul 05, 2025 9:42 am

I was happy this year, most in our neighborhood were done by 11:30 and everyone by 12:30. Some years it goes on till 2-3 am.

Post by **BRoss** » Sat Jul 05, 2025 11:26 am

It did seem less insane this year. I can normally go out back or out front and watch a bunch of fireworks going off but there wasn't nearly as much as what I've seen in the past. Also it was weird how early everything ended each night, including last night. It was kind of nice.

Post by **Brad** » Sat Jul 05, 2025 11:58 am

With the Fourth of July on a Friday this year, I bet there will be another round tonight. Its possible they were more tame since people are spreading it out over a few days this year.

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