Fireworks may be more expensive and harder to find this Fourth of July due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports, which were raised to 145% in April and then rolled back to 30% in May.
The US relies almost entirely on China for its pyrotechnics. Around 99% of backyard fireworks and 90% of professional display products are made there, according to Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association.
A ValuePenguin study shows that last year, US imports of Chinese fireworks totalled $452 million. Missouri led in per capita spending, with $85.7 million in 2024, followed by Kansas ($25.8 million) and Nebraska ($13.9 million).
However, high tariffs on these sparklers have upended pricing and supply chains. Some importers halted shipments entirely, while others, like Ohio’s American Fireworks Company, have adjusted prices up to four times this season to keep up.
Big companies like Jake’s Fireworks, which pre-ordered supplies, are weathering the storm. But smaller retailers may feel the pinch.
As one retailer puts it, “a $50,000 show is going to look like a $30,000 show” in 2025.
The impact could be even bigger in 2026, when the holiday falls on a Saturday and marks America’s 250th birthday.