CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — As a child, Matthew Vranes started playing around with fireworks.
“They kind of seemed boring by themselves, so I would just fuse them together, light them together in one big. Ya know, one minute show, two minute show, and it just kind of grew from there,” Matthew said.
What started as two minute firework displays have now grown to a 30 minute neighborhood-wide display in Central Point.
He and his wife, Jennifer, now call it the “Big Daddy Boom” fireworks display. For 14 years the couple has funded the private fireworks show at Twin Creeks Park.
Matthew and Jennifer Vranes have secured the proper insurance and permits in order to make the display a neighborhood-wide event.
“They’re just consumer fireworks and it’s how we put them together and how we choreograph them and how we fuse them together and time them that makes, ya know, the show a spectacular feeling,” Matthew said.
This 4th of July the show will have over 8,000 mortars.
“We follow the rules, we’re safe. We have all the fire stuff in place, ya know the fire extinguishers. We have the perimeter in place,” Matthew said
The show’s grown so big, the Vranes have, for the first time, set up a donation site to help cover costs. In order to break even, they need $15,000. They say they’re close.
“It just has such a fun community feeling that you just don’t get anywhere else,” Jennifer said.
While this isn’t the biggest display in Southern Oregon, the Vranes say what makes it special is how up close and personal the show is.
“I don’t know if I could ever stop it. I don’t think I want to stop. Just seeing how how much everyone enjoys it, that’s really why I do it,” Matthew said.
Matthew says he has put about one hundred hours into prep for the show. He says they keep the event private to avoid a bigger permit.
To donate to the cause, visit their website: https://www.donatefireworks.com/donate-to-the-show
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