BILLINGS — Even as prices have climbed, fireworks are flying off the shelves at stands in the Billings area as families gear up to celebrate Independence Day and America's 250th birthday.
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At the Montana Fireworks stand off Highway 87, shoppers were out in force Friday afternoon. Shane Salminem was there with his wife, April, and son, Odin, ready to mark the occasion.
"We are here to represent and do 250 in style," Salminem said. "We go ahead and we keep our budget. You know, you got to buy hamburger and hot dogs too, but with this being 250, we are so excited to be part of it."
Nick Kukus, who was shopping with his son Declan, said he spent an average amount for his family but noticed prices have gone up.
"You can get some bang for your buck," Kukus said. "But I think it's gone way up as everything else. It's no safer than groceries or gasoline ... Like anything else, you want to have more fun you got to spend more."
Athena Reichenbach, who works at Montana Fireworks, said the stand has seen strong traffic all week.
"This year, we're just increasing sales. It's gotten very busy," Reichenbach said. "We've done better every single day this week."
The trend reflects what is happening nationwide.
The American Pyrotechnics Association estimates Americans will spend a record $2.5 billion on consumer fireworks this year. Consumer fireworks revenue has grown dramatically over the past two decades, increasing from $407 million in 2000 to more than $2.2 billion annually in recent years after surging during the pandemic.
Retailers say higher prices are largely the result of inflation, increased shipping costs and tariffs, though many have worked to keep price increases manageable for customers.
George Reichenbach, general manager of Reichenbach Fireworks, said international shipping costs have changed dramatically since he entered the business.
"When I started doing it, I was paying about $4,000 to $5,000 a container," Reichenbach said. "Last year I paid, for one, I paid $23,000 just ocean freight."
He said a 145% tariff in 2025 forced the company to cancel several shipping containers. This year, he said, conditions have improved.
“This year wasn't too bad. It was averaging about 22% on a tariff, which is almost where it was,” Reichenbach said. "It's getting a little more manageable."
Even with those added costs, Reichenbach said price increases at the retail level have remained relatively modest because shipping costs are spread across large shipments.
Across town at Sky High Fireworks near MetraPark at the corner of Fourth Avenue and 10th Avenue North, manager Perri McNeese said inflation has affected customers' budgets, but it hasn't stopped them from celebrating.
"Obviously pricing has gone up just because of inflation," McNeese said. "We buy in volume, by the container, and we've been able to keep our prices pretty reasonable."
McNeese said most families spend between $300 and $400 on fireworks, while some customers continue placing orders topping $1,000.
"There are some that are a little more conservative this year," she said. "We'll have lots of thousand-dollar-plus orders before we're done."
With favorable weather in the forecast and a milestone year, retailers expect a successful holiday weekend.
"I think everybody should have a pretty good year that's selling fireworks," Reichenbach said.
“The weather is perfect. It's been perfect coming in. We don't have a lot of fire danger. We don't have a lot of wind,” said McNeese. "It's a perfect time to have a fireworks party."
For many families, the tradition remains worth the cost.
"They're a lot of fun," Kukus said. "I look forward to this every year."
