2009 PGI Convention

The Pyrotechnics Guild International, Inc. presents

"Iowa Symphony of Stars"

Saturday August 8, 2009 through Friday August 14, 2009

at the North Iowa Fairgrounds in Mason City, Iowa

Well, by now you’ve all heard what a wonderful convention we had in Gillette this past summer. Unfortunately, many of you couldn’t make it. No doubt you are suffering from IDS and ACW (ignition deficit syndrome and acute convention withdrawal). Well, relief is in sight!

Starting on Saturday, August 8th, 2009, through and including the Grand Public Display on Friday, August 14th, 2009, the PGI returns to the North Iowa Fair Association site. Many of our members have said that this is their favorite site. EVERYTHING is on site: camping, vending, shooting, and even the banquet are all on the fair grounds.

Camping is as close as you can get to the action, but, hotel rooms are in abundance and in close proximity to the NIFA site. Lodging is affordable, no matter where you stay. The site is within a two day drive of over 85% of our members. (Just watch out for traffic around Chicago!!)

Jerome Mostek is the “host with the most”. He works as hard a humanly possible to get the members the best displays and the best local support. Tim Walczak promises the same wonderful afterglows as we had in 2005.

We have some great displays planned. Flashing Thunder will be there. Night Vision is doing their very first PGI display. Here’s the current line up:

Sunday: a $1000 cremora shot by Ray Garris, a National Anthem tribute by Patriotic, a John Sagaria special choreographed demo of Brothers consumer product and a display by the Iowa Pyros. The Bluegrass Pyrotechics Guild will cap off our opening evening. WOW! And that’s just for openers. As they say on TV, “But wait, there’s more!”

Monday is a “competition only” evening. For those of you who missed Gillette, you’re going to love this! Superb competition after a relaxing dinner hour. Time to spend with friends as you enjoy some of the best competition the PGI has to offer., all at a reasonable hour. Then, lots of open shooting time follows. We just started doing this last year and it’s an innovation that everyone seemed to enjoy.

Tuesday opens with Night Vision doing their very first PGI display. You know that they’ll be putting their hearts into is. The evening will be topped off by our very own MASTER display artist: Aaron Mayfield of AM PYRO. Aaron has never failed to blow everyone away with his displays. He asked to do something even better than he did at NFA in Montana for the NFA. I saw the NFA display. I can hardly wait to see what he does for us. And, for the record, Aaron is donating this display. He asked only for transportation costs and crew lodging. Thanks, Aaron!

Wednesday opens with a PGI tradition: a display put on by our kids: the Junior Pyro Association. Using consumer fireworks, under adult supervision, these kids perform heroically; this display is always one of our favorites.

We have our very own convention host and his team from Flashing Thunder Fireworks. Jerome, Jeremy, and Katy Mostek guarantee you will enjoy Wednesday night. Jerome not only performs a display that is awesome, he hosts our event as well. You know he will want you to remember this display and we are sure you will.

On Friday, we open with a tribute to our deceased members. The salute we give to our former friends will be heartfelt: your chest will feel each and every thump!

Ever light a firecracker? Well, how about a few million!

The Mega String is a wall of millions of crackers, all ignited at once, louder than a jet engine. Hold onto your seats for this one. It’s making its first appearance in three years.

We then feature a national anthem opener donated by Patriotic.

This is followed by the Best-of-the-Best: Our Pyro All Stars.

This invitation-only event features the best hand-crafted shells and rockets produced by our very own pyro artisan members at PGI. You won’t see stuff like this ANYWHERE else in the world!

Then, our friends from Michigan, Wolverine, perform a choreographed display. Alan Streu and Jim Lambert have always done well by the PGI and they assure me that in 2009 they are seriously competing for the Judges Award: given to the best display of the week.

Then, we close our convention with the Grand Public Display, an extravaganza of pyrotechnics designed to amaze and astound you. Dean Kuhn of Kuhn Fireworks has spent over a year designing this display and selecting the best material available. This will really cap a week of the very best fireworks you or we have ever seen.

Mason City is an easy two-hour drive from Minneapolis, a major airport or you can fly a commuter directly into Mason City. Or, you can drive. Once in Iowa, you will know you are back home. The area has easily affordable lodging, great restaurants, and a wonderful home team. There’s a lot to do and see in the Mason City Clear Lake area, so the non-pyro family members won’t be bored.

All in all, this promises to be a show-stopping masterpiece PGI convention, Register early. Reserve your lodging as soon as you can. Registration forms will be mailed with the first Bulletin of 2009. Come on back to Mason City. This is going to be a good one. You do not want to miss it!

Requests for Convention Registration Forms by PGI members, should be sent to membership@pgi.org or call Robin Cleveland, Membership Manager at 920-558-4681.  Non-members wishing to join should visit the membership page.

The general public is invited to purchase tickets to attend the nightly PGI displays.  For information, please visit the PDF PGI Public Ticket Info and Order Form.

The Department of Transportation has created the Commercial Transportation of Explosives PowerPoint Slide Show offering instruction for those transporting explosives in commerce.  You may need PowerPoint Viewer to view the document.

There are also new rules for hobbyist transportation of fireworks which are addressed in the Hobbyist Transportation of Fireworks article.

Lodging information for PGI members can be found on the PDF PGI Block of Hotels.

Meetings, seminars, and other event times can be found on the Schedule of Events

Camping information for the whole area can be found on thePDF Mason City Camping.

For camping at the fairground, fill out the MS Word Document  North Iowa Fair's PGI Camping Form.

General information about PGI visiting the local area can be found on Mason City's PGI website.

Seminar information is available separately on the Seminars page.

If you intend to use the PGI's magazine during the convention and feel that you would like to have a contingency storage letter from PGI in ADVANCE (such letters will be available to you when you arrive on site), you should print and complete the Contingency Storage letter and fax it to John Steinberg at 410-655-4165.  Please include a return fax number as we are too close to the convention date to guarantee return by postal service.

Vendors wishing to be part of the tradeshow should read the Trade Show Guidelines and submit the Trade Show Application.

Map of Mason City Iowa

Map of North Iowa Fairgrounds

Aerial Photo of North Iowa Fairgrounds

Gator and Golf Cart Rules

Article above written by Dr. John R. Steinberg

Note:  Attendance to the convention itself, access to PGI-blocked rooms and on-site camping is limited to PGI members only.

Please check this page regularly as it will be updated with further convention-specific details when available.