Confession: I’m Officially on Team “Enough With the Fireworks”

Another 4th of July holiday has come and gone. Yes, this year was a big one for America. 250 years of freedom. But if that freedom means blowing up the night sky with fireworks, then I think I've had my fair share.

It's Official...I'm Done With Fireworks

I've been doing radio for over 30 years, and for much of the beginning of that career, I preached that the state of Iowa should legalize fireworks. It made no sense for Iowans to cross the border, buy fireworks, and then bring them back home. Then, in 2017, Iowa said 'OK'. Here you go. Fireworks are back on the menu! That was nine years ago. My kids were young and loved to watch Dad light things on fire and then see them explode. Now, not so much.

Friday and Saturday night in our neighborhood in Marion were chaos. Loud booms left and right. Flashes of light lit up the night sky and our house. Our pets were terrified, and I was generally annoyed. I never really understood what all the naysayers used to complain about when it came to fireworks. But now, at the ripe old age of 51, I'm that person. Get off my lawn...and stop setting off fireworks at 1 a.m.!

DESIGNECOLOGIST, Unsplash

I'm all for the professional fireworks displays like the one that thousands of people witnessed in downtown Cedar Rapids on Saturday night. But if you want to see a show like that, do you have to try and duplicate it in your backyard? Our driveway and street were littered with debris. Several of our vehicles had red dust and cardboard to mark the spot where it fell from the sky. But there is no going back. I highly doubt that a campaign to outlaw fireworks will pick up too much steam in 2026.

But how ironic would that be? I once yelled for fireworks to be legal. Now, I'd cheer the lawmaker who got them banned.