Fireworks dealer: Tariffs to increase costs for July 4th celebrations

The Trump Administration increased the tariff on imported Chinese products to 54%, including fireworks, just as shipments ordered last year are arriving at U.S. ports.

Coweta, Oklahoma-based Great Scott Discount Fireworks owner Randy Scott expects the increase will impact sales, but mainly next year if the tariff remains in place.

"We normally have a two-to-three year supply, so this year we should be OK. I have one container in Long Beach, California, one on the water, and I don't know if it will get here in time without the tariff, and three more in China that will probably have the tariff on it," he said.

Scott said 2026 was expected to be a good year for sales because America will mark the Semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

"We're planning on a big year next year. The bicentennial was fantastic," said Scott, who now predicts sales will be down because of higher prices.

Though tariffs are a way to encourage domestic manufacturing instead of importing products, Scott says with only 1% of fireworks made in the U.S., and strict regulations that don't apply in China, he doesn't expect that to change.

"Even if they loosen the regulations, the chemicals, we'd still have to import that to make the fireworks. So I don't think they'll make fireworks in the USA."

Scott is an independent fireworks wholesaler who said he has 25 locations, mainly around Coweta. He said he usually orders in September for the following year, and he's hopeful that by then, the tariff will have been reduced. Regardless, he said he would absorb as much of the additional cost as possible to keep prices down.

"People, I believe, will still buy fireworks. They may not buy as much, but we're going to celebrate America's birthday, regardless."