No pop, bang or sizzle this year

WITTENBERG — This time of year normally sees Jerry Bamke ramping up business at Fireworks Country, which he owns with wife Sally, and preparing for their annual Fireworks Extravaganza. Last year’s show brought 10,000 people to the event to eat, drink and be merry all day, then watch a spectacular fireworks show from the bleachers at night. With order sheets in hand, customers could mark off the fireworks displays they were interested in purchasing.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, this year’s 20th annual event fizzled before it even started.

“I was planning on having the event if professional baseball was up and running, since they deal with more people and are in areas that have more cases of the virus,” said Bamke. “But when nothing was happening by Memorial Day, I had to make the tough decision to cancel the extravaganza.”

It’s not just the letdown of having to cancel the 20th anniversary celebration, though Bamke had already booked a great band, ordered extra fireworks and spent more than his usual $20,000 budget on the event. He said that with all the tragedies and disappointments that America has been through the last several months, people are looking for an escape. Bamke said it was gut-wrenching to cancel the event that had been scheduled for June 20, but he did so to protect his staff and customers from the virus.

Bamke added that he should have seen this day coming. His fireworks orders needed to be in by mid-September of last year, and by December he was getting phone calls from his distributors in China telling him that deliveries may be late. He had been told that many things were shut down in China, and that people were staying at home — going out maybe once a week for food.

“I just never imagined that kind of situation could happen here,” said Bamke.

Although he had been having trouble getting in fireworks from China because they were shut down, four containers came within the past couple of weeks. Fireworks Country is now getting all orders filled. Bamke says he has a good supply for the Fourth of July season. He notes his business is open all year, but the biggest seasons are now and at New Years.

Fireworks Country is open for business 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and will stay open until 9 p.m. starting in a couple of weeks. The staff are taking extra measures to ensure the store is clean and sanitized and maintain social distancing standards, Bamke said. There are complimentary masks for shoppers to wear.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Fireworks Country

WHERE: W18862 State Highway 29, Wittenberg

WHEN: Open daily 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FYI: 715-253-2276 or fireworkscountryllc.com

mnelson@newmedia-wi.com