Fireworks sales have been legal in Iowa since June 1. A businessman whose company has been selling consumer-grade fireworks in four neighboring states for years says the most popular sellers are called “cakes” — because the effects are “layered.”
“You have one fuse you light. Depending on the cake itself, the multi-effect item, you might have six to eight shots go up in the air. It’ll have an audio effect and it’ll also have a visual effect as well,” says Vince Bellino of Omaha-based Bellino Enterprises.
His company has operated 130 fireworks stands in South Dakota, Kansas and MIssouri. Just last month the company opened another 55 fireworks stands in Iowa. Bellino says they’re offering customers 200 different types of consumer-grade fireworks.
“A smoke item to a novelty item to firecrackers to multi-effect items to fountains to single-shot tubes to artillery shells,” Bellino says.
Iowa’s new law calls for fireworks sales to end July 8. There’ll be another fireworks sales period at the end of the year, but the fireworks may only be sold from permanent structures, NOT from tents or road-side stands.