When it comes to big explosions and just blowing stuff up, Minnesota has one of the strictest in the country when it comes to fireworks.

You certainly wouldn't know anything was illegal if you lived around our lake cabin up by Detroit Lakes.  It's aerial bombs pretty much nonstop from the weekend before the fourth until August sometime.  Not a good time for one of our dogs who spends a lot of time under the bed.

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To find out just what is legal, as far as fireworks go, and what is illegal you can go to the Minnesota Dept of Public Safety Website.

Here is what is allowed and it's not very exciting;

  • Sparklers
  • Those annoying little ground spinners
  • Cone Fountains
  • Whistling wheels, colorful but no boom
  • Flitter sparklers
  • Flashes/Strobes

The ones that are illegal are the ones I grew up with and believe or not, I still have all my fingers.  I can't say the same for a couple of people I know.

  • Any size firecracker
  • Skyrockets
  • Chasers
  • Parachutes
  • Bottle rockets. Oh, the crazy dangerous fun we used to have with those.
  • Missile type rockets
  • Class B Fireworks
  • Shells.  (These are those cardboard tubes that shoot colorful balls of fire in the air.)
  • Roman Candles
  • And the big one....Aerial Shells.  (These things are so loud. I bet my dog has night mares about them throughout the year.)

If you plan on doing any kind of "theatrical pyrotechnics" you'll have to get a permit or license.

If you do plan on using some of these more powerful fireworks, don't be stupid. A guy I knew in high school was riding around with a friend throwing M-80's (equal to a quarter stick of dynamite) out of a car window. He lit one, attempted to throw it out the window of the car but it hit the edge of the window and bounced back into the car.  He picked it up to throw it again but it blew up in his hand. Lost his whole hand.

Be safe and remember the dogs!

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