Less bang for your buck? Fireworks could be more expensive this year in SLO County

If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck this Independence Day, you might not want to compare this year’s prices to last year.

Lingering inflation is making seemingly everything more expensive — including fireworks.

Fireworks can be found at in Templeton and South County in pop-up stands such as the one operated by Arroyo Grande Police Department Senior Police Officer Elia Esparza and other volunteers from the Police Officers’ Association on East Grand Avenue in the parking lot behind Blast 825 Brewery.

Esparza said she volunteered to run the stand in 2020 and 2022, and was hoping for a better turnout this year, even with higher prices than in previous years.

“2022 was kind of a low year — the profits were not that great, mostly because I think financially people were struggling a little bit,” Esparza said. “We’re hoping that this year people are doing OK, and we can just have some fun on the Fourth of July.”

Fireworks vendor hoping for bounce back year

Esparza said in 2022, firework prices jumped because of inflation and supply chain shortages — and they have gotten higher since then.

“I would say that I’m very surprised, maybe because I’ve never actually bought fireworks myself,” Esparza said. “Looking at some of these prices, they are pretty pricey.”

According to a 2022 American Pyrotechnics Association report, between 2019 and 2022 prices rose by roughly 50%, suffering from high transportation costs.

Since then, prices of imported fireworks have only risen with most other goods during inflation, with the price jumping 42% from $1.13 per pound in 2021 to $1.61 per pound in 2024, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Esparza said in 2020, profits were high because people were cooped up at home and, without any organized fireworks shows going on, they had to make their own fun.

This year, depending on the size of the bundle, customers can expect to pay anywhere from $10 for a basic ground set to $500 for the massive bundles that include dozens, though many will opt for the $70 family pack, Esparza said.

Regardless of price, Esparza said she always expects to sell out of the family-friendly end of the inventory on items such as sparklers and less loud or intense fireworks.

This year, she said she expects the extremely colorful “Unicorn Poop” firework fountain — which can be found in a two-for-one pack for around $10 — to be a big hit.

She said the Police Officers Association will use the money raised by their volunteer stand to pay for community aid, paying for bikes for kids and books for teachers in local schools.

Where are ‘safe and sane’ fireworks allowed?

This year, Cayucos, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo will all have fireworks displays, though not all on July 4.

Outside of those shows, some San Luis Obispo County residents have the option to light fireworks of their own, though this varies across the county.

“Safe and Sane” fireworks are allowed in Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, San Miguel and Templeton. They are also permitted in Morro Bay at private residences, but not at the beach or public parks.

“Safe and sane” fireworks usually consist of fountains and other ground-based items — essentially nothing that fires a rocket, missile or explosive, according to Cal Fire’s Firework Safety page.

Use or possession of fireworks are prohibited elsewhere in San Luis Obispo County and at locations such as Los Padres National Forest, state and county parks and on beaches.