Fireworks come in many shapes and sizes, with each category offering a different type of experience. Whether you're looking for colorful ground effects, multi-shot aerial displays, or big bursts that light up the sky, understanding the most common types of fireworks can help you find the right products for your celebration.

Novelties

Novelties are small fireworks known for their fun and unique effects. Depending on the item, they may spin, crackle, pop, or produce smoke or colorful sparks. Novelties can be divided into two main categories: ground novelties and flying novelties. Ground novelties stay on the ground for the duration of their performance. Flying novelties lift up into the air, and often produce a whistling or zipping sound.

Best for: 

• Casual celebrations
• Younger audiences
• Shoppers looking for smaller effects

Fountains

Fountains stay on the ground while producing showers of sparks and colorful effects above them. Effects can include crackle, glitter, changing colors, and more. They’re a popular choice for adding exciting ground-level action to a display.

Best for:

• Family celebrations
• Kicking off a backyard show
• Shoppers looking for ground effects

Roman Candles

Roman candles are tube-shaped fireworks that may be hand held or may need to be secured into the ground. The hand held variety often produces a series of effects one shot at a time, such as comets or stars. Larger roman candles that need secured have a bigger performance and often produce a continuous stream of shots with crackling bursts and comets.

Best for: 

• Handheld varieties are great for casual celebrations or enjoying before the main show
• Larger varieties are great for stepping up your display and layering into a show

200 Gram Cakes

200 gram cakes are multi-shot aerial fireworks containing up to 200 grams of pyrotechnic composition. They can produce a wide range of colors and effects, including aerial bursts, comets, crackle, and more. Their combination of variety and performance makes them a popular and affordable choice for a backyard fireworks show.

Best for: 

• Backyard shows
• Shoppers looking for impressive performance at an affordable price

500 Gram Cakes

500 gram cakes are large, multi-shot aerial fireworks containing up to 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition. They can produce impressive aerial bursts, colorful patterns, crackle, comets, and more. Depending on the product, that extra pyrotechnic composition may be used for larger effects, more shots, a longer duration, or a combination of the three. However, a 500 gram cake doesn’t automatically have more shots or a longer duration than a 200 gram cake. Each cake is designed differently, so it’s worth considering the individual effects and performance rather than gram count alone.

Best for: 

• Backyard shows
• Shoppers looking for unique effects

Artillery Shells

Artillery shells, also called reloadable shells, mortars, festival balls, or canister shells (to name a few), offer a different kind of aerial experience than 200 gram or 500 gram cakes. Instead of one cake that fires a sequence of shots, artillery shell kits come with individual shells intended to be launched one at a time from a compatible tube that comes with the kit. Artillery shells may feature single or multiple breaks, with single-break shells being especially common. They’re known for producing distinct aerial bursts and the big, booming effects many people associate with a classic fireworks show.

Best for: 

• Layering into a show
• Loud booms
• Shoppers looking for big, individual aerial bursts

Choosing What’s Right for You

Each firework category brings something different. Novelties and fountains provide excitement closer to the ground, while roman candles, cakes, and artillery shells bring action to the sky. Combining different categories can create a more varied display with a mix of heights, colors, effects, and pacing. Whatever fireworks you choose, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, maintain the required safety distances, and comply with your state and local regulations.