Pyrotechnicians Prepare for Spectacular Fourth of July Rose Bowl Bash

AmericaFest Show Producer Paul Souza. His pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Technical Director Rusty Johnson and Licensed Operator Steve Powers. Their Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Fireworks demo

Fireworks assembly work area. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Preparing fireworks. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Mortar tubes for launching fireworks. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Mortar tubes for AmericaFest 2022. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Fireworks being prepared. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Fireworks. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Mortar tubes. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Fireworks for AmericaFest 2022. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Fireworks for americaFest. Pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding, 25-minute AmericaFest show on Monday, July 4, 2022.

Ahead of Monday’s 96th AmericaFest at the Rose Bowl, pyrotechnicians are carefully rigging the 2,500 pounds of fireworks and 30,000 pounds of equipment needed to create the spell-binding 25-minute show long been considered the largest and longest-running fireworks show on the West Coast.

Paul Souza, the Rose Bowl show producer and a fifth-generation technician said the show will fire off more than 8,000 separate shells, each from three to 12 inches in diameter, with 8,000 effects, run by a crew of 20 pyrotechnicians.

Monday’s event, produced by Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, has been more than a year in the planning, Souza. His crew will spend four days at the Rose Bowl site planning and carefully placing and wiring each of the thousands of shells to be fired.

Souza’s launched about 30 seconds worth of fireworks in a noisy special media preview on Friday.

Along with the fireworks, the afternoon and evening show will also include the TNT Freestyle Motocross show, a high-flying, high-energy motorcycle acrobatic show, along with a special performance by upcoming country star Drake Milligan.

“It’s a big musical performance, and every beat and explosion needs to be planned,” Souza said, as crews loaded and wired the fireworks behind the northern end of the Rose Bowl.

Milligan has already earned praise from a host of influential publications, including American Songwriter, Rolling Stone Country, Fort Worth Weekly, and Taste of Nashville. He recently played the Stagecoach Festival and is headlining his own tour this summer.

And, added new Rose Bowl CEO, Jens Weiden, “We’ve added a lot of new elements to this year’s show, just because it’s the Rose Bowl’s 100th birthday.”

Weiden reminded Pasadenans fireworks are illegal in Pasadena and dangerous everywhere.

“We ask that people come down here and leave the fireworks to the professionals,” he said.

Information on hours, tickets, parking and the AmericaFest Family Fun Zone is available at www.rosebowlstadium.com.