Fireworks sales boom despite county bans

Vendors set up shop around Albany and Schenectady

Despite the ban on using fireworks in Albany County this year, one of the dealers who put up roadside tents just outside the county limits said he’s seen no reduction in sales.

“Sales are strong,” said Jack May, managing director of Keystone Fireworks, which is one of three vendors selling fireworks in the area this summer.

“It’s close to last year,” he added. “Considerably above the previous year.”

The 2020 fireworks season broke records because there were very few professional displays in New York state. A few places held drive-in fireworks shows to meet the rules restricting mass gatherings, but most people had to make do with whatever they could shoot off in their backyard.

“We were the only option. This year there are other options,” May said.

Still, more people are buying than in 2019, he said, and those who live in a no-fireworks county seem to just be buying from a vendor across county lines.

“I would expect our locations around Albany County are probably doing pretty well,” May said.

In addition to adding vendors in Rensselaer County, near the Albany County line, vendors have also put up more tents in Saratoga County this year. Rensselaer and Saratoga counties allow fireworks, while Albany and Schenectady do not.

In Halfmoon, there was just one fireworks vendor, with one location, in 2019. This year all three vendors have a permit for at least one tent.

In Clifton Park, there are also numerous vendors this year, mainly along Route 146, a direct route to Schenectady.

Despite the easy access to fireworks, Albany

Police Department spokesman Steven Smith said fireworks complaints are down sharply from last year.

There were 895 fireworks complaints in Albany from January to September 2020, up from 207 calls in 2019. So far this year, there’s been 76 complaints.

“Which is a significant drop from 2020,” he said. “And we have officers on patrol who are out there looking for those who are setting off fireworks.”

He noted that setting off fireworks in a city neighborhood can rattle veterans who have PTSD, as well as waking children or making it difficult for people to sleep.

“Many of us have learned even the sparkling devices have an impact on quality of life here,” he said. “When people are using commercial grade devices that are shooting into the air, not only are they creating a lot of noise, they are creating several hazards, including fire hazards.”