Comments on: It’s the Time of Year When We Can Blow Things Up

By: Nikki

Nikki — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:07:56 +0000

Visit Belo’s Fireworks on FM740 in Forney. An old fashioned under-the-shade-trees stand in its 17th year. Not weird.

By: Just Another Redhead

Just Another Redhead — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:12:44 +0000

Head to Tarrant County. Hit up HWY 1187 that runs from Mansfield to Burleson. More fireworks stands on that stretch than there are Dairy Queen.

By: lsugirl

lsugirl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:46:03 +0000

Head south on 35. When you hit the Ovilla/Red Oak/Waxahachie area you are in fireworks heaven. I have been twice since they opened.

By: Don in Austin

Don in Austin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:44:22 +0000

I put on my bubba hat and work at a fireworks stand for 4 days every year. In Wichita Falls. Its fun, try it sometime. The money’s good and the fireworks are 1/2 price. No farm animals or meth at our stand (5000 sq. ft and air conditioned). You would be amazed at who buys fireworks and its definitely not all blue collar white trash.

By: Me

Me — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:12:15 +0000

I agree with Kris.

By: Some guy

Some guy — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:01:47 +0000

“In addition to fireworks, I have seen live chickens, puppies, peaches, tomatoes, nitrous oxide(whippets) and weed being sold at firework stands east of town.”

And your point is?

By: Kris

Kris — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 19:55:10 +0000

You turn ON the comments for people to tell others how to blow things up and potentially start fires (or kill people with shrapnel)… But turn OFF the comments for subjects that lend themselves to safe (albeit sometime snarky) banter. Hmmm…

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:19:25 +0000

I think the people who run the firework stands are more of a story than the people who buy stuff there. They all have a story about why they force themselves to stand in an unairconditioned box for 2 weeks on the side of the road. While many are run by church groups or volunteer fire departments, one can often find the serial killer type firework salesman. Same sort of dudes who sell live minnows and stink bait near area lakes. Out of a spare single wide mobile home. In addition to fireworks, I have seen live chickens, puppies, peaches, tomatoes, nitrous oxide(whippets) and weed being sold at firework stands east of town.

By: Green shoots

Green shoots — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:13:53 +0000

Directions for making a redneck firecracker (read incredibly dangerous bomb):

Take a spent CO2 cartridge (the kind you use in your pellet gun). Fill it three-quarters full of gun powder. Cut off six inches of waterproof fuse (the red kind, which you can buy at the fireworks stands between Greenville and Sulphur Springs). Fray one end, and feed it into the CO2 cartridge. Pack some wadded up paper into the hole around the fuse and then waterproof it by dripping candle wax (thickly) over the paper-plugged hole.

Light the fuse standing on the back of your bass boat, make sure that it’s burning (i.e., let the fuse burn about halfway down), and then throw it as far as you can into the lake. It will blow a geyser about 20 feet into the air.

[Note: Do NOT throw your redneck firecracker into the woods or light it off on the lawn. The shrapnel from the CO2 cartridge could kill someone.]

By: Green shoots

Green shoots — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:03:28 +0000

Take I-30 to east to Sulphur Springs (about an hour and 15 minute drive). There are some mega fireworks stands on the south side of the freeway. Plus, there are the old fashion ones dotting the access road between Greenville and Sulphur Springs. You’ll get some great pictures, I guarantee it.