Ken Goosen, with Calgary-based Big Bang Fireworks, and assistant Clarke Harvey are seen preparing Canada Day fireworks in the soccer field at Medicine Hat College.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The awe of flickering lights and the clashing booms of colours and sounds mixing together to fill the sky above Medicine Hat has become tradition on Canada Day and a crowd favourite each year.
The roughly- 10-minute fireworks show requires approximately an hour of planning and setup for each minute of the show, according to the pyrotechnician responsible for shows in the Hat both Tuesday and Monday nights.
“I typically budget approximately an hour for every minute of the show,” explains Ken Goosen, with Big Bang Fireworks out of Calgary. “And then the show goes up and then we will be here until 1:30 in the morning cleaning up. And then we’ll be back here at eight in the morning raking this sports park to make sure that everything is cleaned up.”
Monday and Tuesday fireworks shows were set off in the soccer field behind Medicine Hat College, providing a scenic view for audiences in Kin Coulee Park, the college parking lot, as well as several high points across the city.
“There will be people sitting on the bleachers back there, they don’t hear the music, but they feel every break, and that’s the wonderful thing about fireworks,” says Goosen.
The fireworks used in Medicine Hat are shot from several four-inch shells designed to be choreographed to music to enhance the experience.
“Medicine Hat is not a small community, this is a nice size show for the community,” says Goosen. “The fact that there’s music choreographed to a soundtrack, it makes the show really different because you’ve got the music and the fireworks, and the fireworks are really like paint in the sky, and also a little bit more percussion, so you have those bangs.”
Monday night more than 200 drones took to the skies for the first time creating images of a teepee, Tigers logo and skateboarder.
“Such cool imagery and it’s such a beautiful thing,” explains Goosen, who is also the chief operating officer of Global Fest in Calgary, a large fireworks display held over nine days, showcasing world-class fireworks from the U.S., Malaysia, Philippines, China and more.
Goosen says drones are quickly becoming a core part of pyrotechnic shows as pyrotechnicians use two layers, one where the drones fly, the other where fireworks are set off, to create a stunning spectacle in the sky.
“You watch how the winds are and how you set everything up so that the drones will be ether in front or behind the fireworks,” says Goosen, who explained the technological advances in AI and drones allow them to be built smaller and fly steadier.
“So technology has really changed and they have become lighter, more stable and just the AI involved makes them a lot better.”
Goosen says his team is elated to host its third show in Medicine Hat.
“We’re thrilled to be doing the Canada Day show,” says Goosen. “We want our audience to put their cameras down, their phones down, because it doesn’t translate on that device. Use your eyes, use your ears and be in the moment, and just let us take you on a journey,” he adds.
