🎆 Figure Friday: The Firework Economy 🎇

Let’s be real, nothing says “Happy Birthday, America!” quite like the smell of barbecue, the sight of red-white-and-blue everything, and the sky absolutely popping off with fireworks. But behind all the sparkle and sizzle is a surprisingly booming business.

Welcome to this week’s Figure Friday, where we crunch the numbers behind the Fourth of July.

Here’s your big stat: Americans spent over $2.4 billion on fireworks in 2023 alone. Yep, billion with a B. That’s a whole lot of sparkle in the sky and even more spark in the economy.

Let’s break it down:

👉 Around $1.9 billion came from consumer fireworks—those backyard shows, driveway sparklers, and maybe that one neighbor who takes things a little too far.

👉 The remaining $500 million came from professional displays, like the massive shows hosted by cities, sports teams, and theme parks.

The fireworks are just the beginning. The Fourth of July is also one of the biggest food holidays in the U.S. The average household spends about $85 on food alone for the big day. Now multiply that by millions of households, and suddenly, it’s not just a party, it’s a data point.

Speaking of food:

🌭 Americans eat an estimated 150 million hot dogs on July 4th. That’s enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. more than five times.

🍉 Watermelon is a fan favorite, too—about 70% of July 4th cookouts include it.

From hot dogs to bottle rockets, it all adds up.

The Fourth isn’t just about celebrating independence, it’s a full-blown economic event.

As you watch the fireworks tonight or reach for another slice of pie, just remember: you’re part of one of America’s most colorful (and tasty) data stories.

Happy Fourth from all of us at Data for Humans—where even fireworks come with fun facts.

Stay curious,

Sydney