July 4 festivities in Wooster now include a fireball (or 10)
At the end of the grand finale of the annual Fourth of July display in 2021, the Northeast Ohio Pyrotechnic Group unleashed its secret weapon: the fireball. This year viewers can expect to see as many as 10 of the unique explosions.
You never really forget your first mushroom cloud. Or maybe that time you unexpectedly got your eyebrows melted off.
Because you never see it coming.
Once upon a time at the Fireball Festival in Wooster, people never saw it coming. Ashley Hershberger, the city’s recreation manager, certainly didn’t see it coming back in 2021, nor did half the community, or so it seemed.
That was when, making a grand return from their 2020 COVID-induced cancellation, the Wooster fireworks returned with a blast, literally.
“There’s a group that fires off the fireworks,” said Gil Ning, the event’s spokesman. “It’s called the NEPG, the Northeast Ohio Pyrotechnic Group. They’re a group located in Wayne County who just love to fire fireworks. It’s a club. Within that club they have several licensed pyrotechnic technicians who are licensed by the State of Ohio to shoot off fireworks.”
The group was responsible for some good shows, but Ning wanted more. Wooster was always in a sort of competition with Orrville, Ning said, to see who had the best Fourth of July fireworks display. Orrville’s, linked to its huge Fire in the Sky softball tournament, a parade and carnival, was a big draw in the area.
Ning wanted to go bigger.
“I said, ‘What can you do for me that’s going to make Wooster a better show besides the traditional fireworks?’” Ning said. “Three years ago they said, ‘Gil, we’ve got something that is going to put (the show) over the top.’”
At the end of the grand finale of the annual Fourth of July display in 2021, the pyromaniacs in the NEPG unleashed their secret weapon: the fireball. It was exactly that, a giant ball of fire that burst into the night sky, creating a mini mushroom cloud and literally warming up anyone within a few blocks.
“Imagine being a few streets away and being the person in charge,” said Hershberger, who was in fact among those in charge. “Oh my gosh, I’m texting everyone I know over there.”
Like nearly everyone that night, Hershberger was not aware the fireball was going to happen. Not right at the scene at the time, her texts were directed at those who were. She wanted to know if everyone was OK.
There was a lot of that going on that night as people went to social media wanting to know what happened and trying to make sure everyone was safe and that half the town hadn’t been blown up in some freak fireworks accident.
It was no accident, though it was freaky. The immediate confusion prompted Hershberger to head to the city’s social media account and announce the giant ball of flames that was probably visible for a few miles was planned.
“Thank you to everyone involved in making the 2021 Wooster Fireworks so wonderful this year!” her post said. “We hope you all enjoyed the show, and rest assured, the last flame effect was supposed to happen that way. Amazing!”
And now it will keep happening, and instead of just once at the end of the show, there will be several fireballs throughout the fireworks display. Ning said at least six and maybe as many as 10 will be unleashed.
A fireball is essentially a bunch of gasoline that gets ignited in a controlled manner, sending flames in desired directions. It’s like a giant hibachi grill, minus the onion volcano.
“You have to have a special license to shoot off a fireball,” Ning said. “It’s actually kind of my trademark. Now it’s part of the show. I believe they’re going to start off with a fireball. If you’re onsite, it’s like an atomic bomb. It’s a ground effect. The flame billows up into the sky, and there’s a lot of heat. No one in this area does it.”
The Fireball Festival and fireworks will be held Thursday, July 4 at the soccer fields located at the corner of Burbank Road and Oldman Road. If there is one thing Ning has no plans on changing, it’s the date.
“I want it to always be on the Fourth of July,” he said. “That’s when it should be.”
Festivities will begin at 5 p.m. and go until the fireworks — and fireballs — are over with, sometimes shortly after 10 p.m. Ning estimates from 4,000-5,000 will attend the festival.
He said the entire event is pulled off for about $20,000. The Wooster Exchange Club is responsible for putting up half that money, he said, with the Rotary Club chipping in $3,600. The rest comes from donations from both public and private entities.
Guests will have a dozen or so food trucks to stop at for food, beverages and other goodies, along with other attractions such as bouncy houses for the kids. The highlight of it all, though, will be the fireballs — even if they have lost the element of surprise.
“I think people love it,” Hershberger said, “now that they know it’s supposed to happen. I think it’s caught on.”
Everything else will be background noise for a bit of gasoline turned into a sky-lighting projectile.
“It’s just a gathering,” Ning said. “But it is going to be a spectacular show.”