THUNDER BAY – The first ever firework competition in Thunder Bay fired off one of the largest firework displays ever seen in the city.
Saturday’s event drew in hundreds of spectators to the Murillo Fairgrounds as two professional firework teams from the company Pyroboyz went head to head for the most explosive show imaginable.
“Everybody loves fireworks,” said Pyroboyz owner Bill Groombridge Saturday during the Pyro Wars event.
“It’s the sound, the pounding that you feel, and when we do a show we do a lot of choreography, and I think when people see that they really like that type of stuff.”
The event featured two separate firework shows, with one team of two Pyroboyz lighting up the sky with a choreographed firework display from the company’s trailer.
Following the second show, which featured the biggest firework shell the Pyroboyz have ever fire in Thunder Bay.
Groombridge said the 12 inch shell is going to burst high in the sky and trickle all the way down to the ground.
“We just wanted the city of Thunder Bay to have a fun time, and when I hear the crowd screaming I know I’ve done a good job,” Groombridge said.
There was more than $9,000 worth of fireworks blasting into the sky.
For nearly 20 years the Pyroboyz have been providing the city of Thunder Bay with fireworks.
“We started out with a little corner store, and I was the first one generally to bring fireworks to retail in the city,” he said.
“It just kind of grew from there, people bought fireworks, asked us to do shows, and it just kept growing bigger and bigger.”
Groombridge added bring a team of guys that love the same thing together, they put their own spin on things and come up with ideas, that’s what makes the show grow.
