Fireworks Elusive But Popular Idea for Cremation Ashes

by Rebecca Roberts Galloway | Jul 4, 2021

Update: Solace is now Tulip Cremation, the nation’s largest online direct cremation services provider, delivering world-class and compassionate care 24/7.

When we wrote about memorial fireworks about a year ago, we were surprised to see how popular the idea was with our readers who wanted a festive, explosive show for scattering cremated remains.

It turns out that, despite the interest in sending your loved one’s cremation ashes up with a colorful fireworks display, there are few places that actually can perform the service.

Like us, Slate magazine only found one in the U.S.

If you are willing to drive or fly to Springfield, Missouri, the Greenlawn Funeral Home works with AM Pyrotechnics to provide a number of different cremation fireworks choices from the “Grand Finale” which is one shot and 20 smaller fireworks, to the “Ultimate Goodbye” which lasts 18 minutes and is “truly inspirational.”
The funeral home has its own land which makes it uniquely suited for the displays, and families travel there from time to time to take advantage of its unique offerings.

In the UK, two companies offer do-it-yourself, self-firing kits, but at this time, they cannot be shipped to the U.S. We reached out to both Scattering Ashes and Heavenly Stars, and both companies told us they get many requests from the U.S., but that the fireworks are created to meet local UK standards and cannot be shipped overseas.

Nick Drobnis, who once ran a business in the Los Angeles area called “Angels Flight” says he had to close it. He says the regulatory costs became too high along with the permits and the insurance. But Drobnis tells Solace he was able to “make a lot of final wishes come true” while the company was in operation in Southern California.

Smaller “safe and sane” memorial fireworks that can be purchased roadside in some states cannot do the trick, Drobnis told Slate, since cremated remains are too heavy at about seven pounds, and need to be distributed between a few different commercial-grade shells.

For now, families looking for this service may need to make a trip to Missouri or the UK or find a pyrotechnic company that might provide the service (unfortunately, we tried and found none on the West Coast). However, at least one UK company is exploring what it would take to ship their cremation fireworks kits to the states. We’ll keep you posted.