Brad Dezotell PROFESSIONAL FIRER

Fireworks spectaculars, Canada’s busiest fireworks display team.

In 2001 a young pyrotechnic enthusiast named Brad Dezotell based in Calgary, Canada decided to follow his dream and started up his own fireworks company. Little did he know at the time just how successful he, and his 25 strong team of experts were to become.

From a very early age Brad had always been fascinated by the wonderful booms, bangs and crackles that he had seen around the country and on TV. From displays for the Canada day celebrations on 1st of July annually, to the local Calgary Stampede Rodeo show (well-known for its spectacular fireworks finale) - Brad was hooked and wanted to learn everything he could about the hobby that would one day take over his life.

His vision was to bring fireworks to the masses and take them to a whole new level. Brad’s enthusiasm and determination brought to him like-minded people from the industry; from apprentices wanting to learn the trade and specialists in close proximity pyrotechnic effects, they all wanted to get in on the action. Today, the team fires more than 160 shows a year this is one of Canada’s busiest firework display companies, with a pretty impressive list of clients who come back year after year for more.

Brad’s biggest challenge is keeping up with the ever-changing world of fireworks as new effects, colours and new techniques are being developed daily. Fireworks Spectaculars are one of the few display companies who will set up not just one show, but two. It’s a great way to ensure that if the weather decides not to ‘play ball’, Brad and his team have a “plan B” is already in place to offer ultimate safety to the watching crowds.

Using state of the art computer controlled firing systems such as ‘FireOne’ and ‘Pyrodigital’ alongside ‘Visual Show Director’ and Showsim3d (virtual firework show software) allows the team to achieve split second choreography of the shows. This software also gives the client the opportunity to see the full display in 4k resolution and enables them to tweak things in real-time before a single firework has been taken out of storage. Today’s computer systems are so accurate that the team can burst a shell accurate to a 13th of a second allowing for some complex and breath-taking symmetry in the massive displays.

Since 2005, Fireworks Spectaculars have been invited back to wow the crowds at one of the world’s biggest rodeo’s; The Calgary Stampede. Back in 2012, it was Canada’s centenary year so the team were tasked with creating a further 24 shows to fill the skies over Calgary in celebration of 100 years of independence.

The list of awards, accolades and competitions they have won is long and varied making them one of the most respected pyrotechnic companies in the world. The crowning glory must be when they won the gold Jupiter award at the L'International des Feux Loto-Québec (Montreal International Fireworks Competition) in 2010.

The team have a host of other silverware including winning various international events almost annually between 2001 - 2014.

It is easy to why they are such a force to be reckoned with when you see the team and Brad’s vision in action: