Western Enterprises prepares city of Claremore's Firework Spectacular

Jul. 2—A process that takes days to design and create will be over in 19 minutes Saturday.

Western Enterprises are the creators behind the city of Claremore's Firework Spectacular. Vice President Sarah Pecha said they've been working with the city for over 10 years to create firework displays for the annual Independence Day celebration.

"I want the community to understand how much we just appreciate and enjoy the fact that we get to be there, you know, we get to be a part of the Independence Day celebration for the community," she said.

Pecha said the process begins by understanding layout of event and establishing a firing site that complies with a code of regulations.

"We want to make sure first and foremost, the events and safety factors are involved," she said.

From there the process moves into the design phase where President Jim Burnett will design the show.

"He's lived it his entire life, and has a keen eye for design," she said. "So, he does an incredible job."

Pecha said Claremore's display is a choreographed display — a show where the lights match the music.

"Everything is backed timed," she said. "Meaning, he tells us — whoever our technicians on site — he tells us through his design, when we need to have these shells ignite. Certain shells ignite so that they break at specific times throughout that bit of music."

Then the firework shells are pulled off the shelves, organized and sent to the site.

"It's a long process, but you know, we've done it a long time," she said

Pecha said the design alone can take up to a full day, while the rest of the process can take up to 4-5 days.

"It is a very full production," she said. "It will be very animated with lots of different effects being shown. Obviously you're gonna see different colors are some unique things that have come in, we've been able to incorporate."

Pecha said they do around 200 shows this time of year.

Pecha said this is a family business. Her grandfather, Norman Burnett, started the business in 1946.

"It was Burnett fireworks, originally at the time," she said. "My grandpa and dad incorporated Western enterprises in 1976. So essentially, it's been around since '46."

Pecha said her favorite aspect is hearing the crowd at the end.

"Sometimes, depending upon where I'm at, I get to hear kind of the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' depending on where I am based upon the actual shooting of the show itself," she said. "You put on all this hard work — and it's not easy, there's no doubt about it — but to see it come off successfully to see it in the sky and to hear everybody's appreciation for the hard work. It definitely makes it all worthwhile. If I can bring a little bit of joy in 19 minutes of anyone's day, I'd say that's a wonderful and successful date."