Local pyrotech company gets ready for NYS fireworks display

SCHAGHTICOKE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Before the dazzling display of fireworks wow the crowds at Empire State Plaza on Friday, there are loud bangs of another kind coming from the crew at Santore's fireworks in Schaghticoke.

Gabe Baez, one of the crew members, explained, "It's a lot of hard work, a good work out."

Especially on a day nearing 90 degrees with the sun beating down. Baez and the rest of the crew are loading up hundreds of tubes that will eventually hold individual shells. Jeff Ward, of Santore's World Famous Fireworks, explained, "They are going to get delivered to the site, nailed up, put together, then the crew puts fireworks inside the tubes."

Ward designs the show, and that all starts with his office. "It all starts with planning," he said. "We create the show; we build the show. That is choreographed right on a computer for each individual shell handpicked and designed."

The process leads to more than 8,000 shells going off during the 30 minute show to wow the crowd in the Capital Region. "Probably one of the most satisfying things. From set up to the end and seeing all of the fireworks," Baez said.

Santore's does 150 shows throughout the northeast, including fireworks shows in lake George, Clifton Park and for the ValleyCats.

This year, Ward told NEWS10, because they were hit with 30% tariffs, the cost of fireworks also went up, making the shows more expensive to produce.