Behind the boom: The Sanders twins’ passion for fireworks

The Sanders twins, Joshua and Caleb, are known across the community for their teaching and coaching at Lovell High School but also for their expertise in fireworks.

The brothers discovered their love for fireworks the summer they started working for Bill Smith’s firework store in Cody in the early 1990s. 

“We always did family shows, but we didn’t get into doing more public shows until 2020,” Caleb said.

Putting together a show like this is more than just putting fireworks out into a field and lighting them with a punk. A lot happens in the prep work that nobody else sees, from selecting fireworks and the music to building, repairing or purchasing new equipment that holds the fireworks and cleaning up after the show is over. 

When picking songs, Caleb said, “For right now, we’re still trying to appeal to a wide range of our audience members from all ages, just trying to do a mix of current songs and then also going back in time, getting some songs from the 1980s.”

Once there is music to put with the show, that’s when scripting comes in. This involves finding beats for fireworks to go off on and creating a cue to send a firework off at the right time so it matches the music.

“Part of preparation is filling in the music with cakes and then single shots and cueing it up once it’s all set,” Caleb explained. “Then it’s like boots on the ground. It’s a lot of manpower to place the racks and all the things that hold the fireworks up.”

“There’s a lot that goes into it well in advance. For me, it’s days before the show that I’m taking equipment over. It’s not just the day of setup with the fireworks,” Joshua said. “My job mainly is setting up the mortars and racks so the big shots go in the air. I oversee that and get those set up and kind of decide sometimes which ones go where and when during the show.”

When asked about his favorite part of putting shows together, Caleb shared that he likes the artistic and creative side.

“It’s very rewarding when you see your labor displayed like that in a show,” he said.

Joshua shared, “My favorite part is definitely during the show after the first couple minutes when you know that the show is working, and then you can enjoy the show.”

The brothers do between four and six shows a year, which makes for a busy summer featuring lots of different types of shows to put on. 

“Probably one of my most favorite shows was the first time we really did it on our own and the whole thing worked,” Caleb said. “We didn’t have anything really big, but I thought we pulled off a really good show, and that was very gratifying for people who were there on site.”

“One of my favorites was 2023 in Lovell,” Joshua said. “Sometimes you get situations where things really match up pretty well and the choreography works well, and that’s one that I thought did.”

Caleb and Joshua have recently started up a club, Pyro Up Wyoming, for the people that help them set up for the shows.

“There’s a lot of people that help with the show and in different capacities,” Joshua explained. “Having a club gives you more organization that is beneficial, especially when you talk about insurance.”

Joshua, Caleb and the other members of Pyro Up Wyoming do not get paid for putting on shows. 

“We’re a non-profit group, and when an organization gives us money we use that money on fireworks, product and material and insurance,” Caleb said.

Both Caleb and Joshua shared that they really appreciate all the people that help them set up shows. 

Caleb said that he is very grateful for all the people who help with the process, noting, “It’s far more than just me or my brother. There’s a lot of people behind the scenes doing a lot of work.” 

One might think that working in the heat and stress of a short time window to set up, it would be easy to get tired and emotionally drained, but Joshua said he enjoys the environment the crew brings to the setup.

“That’s one of the joyful things on set-up days, to be around friends and family and just kind of bond as you’re getting the show ready,” he said. “In kind of a different type of way, it’s an opportunity for family and friends to get together when you’re setting these shows up.”

The next opportunity to watch a show put on by Caleb, Joshua and the rest of the Pyro Up Wyoming club will be this coming Saturday in Byron, with another show to follow for Cowley Pioneer Day next weekend.