Pyrotechnics Guild International

2011 Convention - Manufacturing

You've never been to the manufacturing area? You belong to the PGI, but have not come down to work along side past PGI Grand Masters like Jim Biersach and Ned Gorski?! How about setting up next to Tony Stader as he assembles his monster girandolas, or near Dan Thames as he put together a 10" ball shell lifted by a rocket? If you don't stop by you are missing out on one of the great opportunities which being a PGI member affords you.

Friends we had not yet met have wandered into the manufacturing area and ended up helping some of the best artisans the PGI has to offer create shells, rockets and more. Some were displayed that very evening, or even walked immediately out to the rocket line. When not preparing for competition, a great number of manufacturers are more than happy to chat with visitors about what they are doing and what they have planned.

Maybe you have thought about making your own devices, but your local laws prohibit such activity. Any person not otherwise prohibited by law may manufacture and display pyrotechnic devices at the convention. It may be anything from small rockets and shells, ground salutes or gerbs, to the most complex display devices like girandolas. All you need to do is bring your supplies and tools, and stake out an area in the manufacturing tent. You can go right from your Black Powder Rockets for Beginners class to the manufacturing tent to keep going where the class let off.

All manufacturing spaces will be first-come, first-served.  We will absolutely need help from volunteers to keep manufacturing open as much as possible. If you are at all interested in manufacturing, volunteering to assist at the manufacturing area, or even just following the conversation as we prepare for the convention, you may join the PGI Manufacturing group at Yahoo, or you may directly. Lisa Thames and I will need lots of input from the members to pull it all off. Come be a part of what is becoming a bigger part of the convention each year!

The PGI Safety Guidelines are the place to brush up on the appropriate rules and regulations governing all PGI conventions. Additional local rules for manufacturing may be applied. More specific information will be available after the site visit at the end of April.

Remember! Volunteers are what makes this all work.  We need safety volunteers to man the tent - as long as the tent is open someone needs to be on safety. Don't be shy, you need not be an expert. In fact spouses make wonderful safety volunteers. They not only get to keep you on the straight and narrow, they get to watch everyone else's spouse and make sure they are following the rules!