New Years Eve in Hawaii, a pyro's dream... kung hee fat choy!
 

Kung hee fat choy!

Anyways, due to Hawaii's heavy ties with the Chinese (we have a pretty big Chinatown here too), almost every local has an affinity for fireworks. It starts at an early age. If you drive around the various cities, it's common to see 5-10 year olds lighting up firecrackers and bottle rockets. Pipe bombs start going off every once in a while starting right before Christmas... with the more common bottle rockets and throw pack firecrackers popping with increasing frequency leading to new years. But when New Years Eve comes, it gets really crazy. A lot of families spend 2-5 thousand dollars on huge festival balls and firecrackers. It's how I imagine a warzone would be. Senior citizens and people with health problems have to rent hotel rooms as the air becomes polluted with gunpowder smoke. It reached it's peak about 4-5 years ago. Neighbors were challenging one another to see just who had the most and coolest displays/ long stringed firecrackers. Driving on the freeway was hazardous because of low visibilty due to the smoke. You watch the news and there's always someone blowing their fingers off from the homemade stuff. One year, my neighbor started from 12:00PM to 3:00AM lighting 10,000+ stringed firecrackers. It was insane! He must have spent over $5000 in fireworks. Lawmakers started cracking down on illegal fireworks (anything that's aerial), and it it worked... for awhile. Now it's starting to ramp up again. Next year I feel will be crazy again.

Here's a sample, although it's still kinda tame... a tame fountain. :(
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2498.jpg

My cousin's daughter's cousin playing with a sparkler.
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2542.jpg

Huge aerial display that lit up the sky. In Hawai, although it's illegal to light aerial fireworks, locals obviously could give a crap.
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2550.jpg

The fun don't stop at 12:00AM, nope, aerials start as soon as it gets dark enough (alot can't wait) and ends 1-2AM. Couple of years ago, it didn't stop till 3AM on our street.
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2582.jpg

Long stringed firecrackers... tame by yesteryear's standards. This only lasted about a minute. This is the "paperless" type which leaves substantially less rubbish. Not too long ago, when lawmakers didn't pass all these law against firerworks, almost all the families on our street had these long firecrackers that were hung in the air on long poles, and would last 5-10minutes... and you get the "bomb" on the end. Now, a ladder suffices.
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2594.jpg

See that bomb in the end?
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2601.jpg

There were a ton of aerials going off in Ewa Beach. Constanltly going off which seemed like every 30 seconds to 10:00, then progressing faster, reaching it's climax at 12:00 where all mayhem breaks loose.
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2604.jpg

These displays aren't cheap too, about $50-100. Even more for the bigger displays. Funny when you think some families are lighting one for what seems every minute.
http://members.aol.com/ppwcwestz33/n...s/IMG_2625.jpg

Last year was tame. This year, it's ramped up a bit. Next year, I feel it's going to be back to pre-fireworks law levels, which means it's going to be insane. So yeah, if you like fireworks, come out here, and head to the regular neighborhoods. Goddamn occasional bottle rockets are still going off, as it's like 1:45.

Sweet! You're not exaggerating either! I lived in Hawaii for 4 years up until '97 and New Years was surreal. I've never seen so many people into fireworks like in Hawaii. My brother and I were on H1 (highway) one New Years and the smoke was crazy. You couldn't see jack. The next day is always awesome too because the streets are literally Red from all the firecrackers every where you look.

It seemed as though New Years had a much bigger celebration with fireworks than 4th of July.

just like in the philippines, lots of firecrackers

Much bigger on New Years, but 4th of July is just another excuse for alot here to play Mr. Pyro man. Aint it crazy though? Each year, I think of all the wildlife that gets screwed due to all the smoke and noise.

Been there for New Years also, but not quite on the level like it is here. Seriously, it is insane just how crazy everyone goes on New Years Eve. Fireworks are still going off ocasionally, and it's 4:00 PM 1/1/07. Alot of people acquire show/stadium quality fireworks.