Grand Finale Fireworks to host Chagrin River's first fireworks display
Sep. 14—Encompassing tens of thousands of vibrant aerial shells in a 30-minute duration, Fire Over the Chagrin will debut as what is being called Ohio's biggest fireworks extravaganza this weekend in Eastlake.
Hosted by Grand Finale Fireworks, out of Eastlake, the fireworks showcase is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. and will be synchronized with a patriotic soundtrack via FM radio. The event is based on a much larger scale production that takes place during the festivities leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
"It's called Thunder Over Louisville and that's put on by one of our industry partners, and it's done over the Ohio River," said Nick Carmigiano, owner of Grand Finale Fireworks. "I've been in fireworks for almost 10 years and thought it would be a cool concept to bring a similar production to our backyard in Eastlake."
Carmigiano said up to 30,000 spectators are expected to be in attendance, between watching the display from their boats on Lake Erie and the Chagrin River and watching from their docks as well as at Chagrin Tavern, 196 E. Island Drive, and Castaways Bar and Grill, 224 E. Island Drive,
The show is supported by local sponsors and there's no charge for admission.
"With this being the first year, it's obviously trial by fire," Carmigiano said. "We hope to make this an annual event every Labor Day weekend moving forward. We want to look back to see what we could do next year to make it bigger, better, have more involvement and more of a production."
Since there's never been a fireworks display on the Chagrin River, it's a treat for Carmigiano, Don Wisniewski, assistant and safety director, and Keith Kilian, a partner with Grand Finale Fireworks and pyro technician.
"My philosophy is keep things as close to home as possible," Carmigiano said. "Keeping things local is keeping the wheel turning because everyone of these local businesses are all a spoke on the wheel. Local to us is huge because it's going to give that feeling of, 'Wow.' "
Grand Finale Fireworks started in June of 2021.
"We started contracting smaller and more modest-sized displays for private clients, and then we started growing to doing municipal displays, special effects for events, concerts and sporting events," Carmigiano said.
Some of the other things Grand Finale Fireworks has done include gender revealing parties, weddings and the Southern Ohio Freedom Fest, a country concert, according to Wisniewski. The business has also done displays in West Virginia and at local country clubs.
"We're in a niche market, but we're the new breed of the pyrotechnics industry up here by the lake," Carmigiano said.
