HONOLULU (KHON2) — Fireworks sales started at midnight Thursday on Oahu, and many are already grabbing what they can for New Year’s Eve, that has some wondering if there’ll be enough to go around.
The lines formed around Don Quijote Honolulu well before its 3 a.m. opening. All for the first crack at firecrackers.
“Me and my dad always come day after Christmas, pick up fireworks for New Year’s,” said Landon Kimura, Honolulu resident.
“Yes it’s a tradition every time we come over here buy em and stuff like that,” said Wallace Bailey, Honolulu resident. “I’ve been doing this for about 50-something years now.”
The early bird catches the worm is true on this day.
“There’s a bunch of different ones – there’s a 20,000, a 10,000, throw packs,” said Kimura. “We just buy a lot, celebrate with our families. Bunch of cousins come to our house for new years, so it’s a good way to kick off the new year.”
“I’ve been all over the island, I went to another competitors place and they ran out.,” said Mike Chun, Kalihi resident. “According to the clerk they ran out by 9 this morning. And they opened at 3 this morning. They gone already.”
Pacific Fireworks said they should have enough inventory to last but they recommend not waiting until the last minute to pick up your firecrackers. Their store on Dillingham opens from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
Owners said they’ve had a steady stream of customers all day.
You need a permit to purchase firecrackers. On Oahu, permit sales are already closed. Permits are still available for those on Kauai, Maui and the Big Island.
Also, it’s 5,000 firecrackers per permit.
And permits are “use it or lose it”. So having a permit doesn’t guarantee you’ll get firecrackers.
“There was one year, that I bought permits and there was nothing,” said Chun. “I started too late, just like this year. And I had to eat the permit costs.”
“Guess it depends on the supply and demand,” said Chun. “People have money they gonna buy. If they don’t have money, like last year. People didn’t have as much money cuz they trying to recover from COVID, so I think that’s why there was a lot of supply left last year.”
We’ll just have to wait and see how loud or quiet it’ll be on New Year’s Eve.
Hawaii County Fire Permit locations:
KTA Puainako: 50 E. Puainako St. in Hilo
KTA Waimea: 65-1158 Mamalahoa Highway in Kamuela
Pacific Fireworks: 74-5629 Kuakini Highway, Suite 155, in Kailua-Kona
J. Hara Store: 17-343 Volcano Highway in Kurtistown
Kimura General Store: 27-289 Mill Road in Papaikou
Phantom Fireworks Tent: 74-5511 Luhia St. in Kailua-Kona
Phantom Fireworks Tent: 325 E. Makaʻala St. in Hilo
Phantom Fireworks Tent: 111 E. Puainako St. in Hilo
TNT Tent: 381 E. Makaʻala St. in Hilo
TNT Tent: 75-1015 Henry St. in Kailua-Kona
TNT Tent: 45-3327 Kou St. in Honokaʻa
TNT Tent: 16-711 Milo St. in Keaʻau
No permits will be sold in the Parker Ranch Shopping Center Food Court this year.
For more information on purchasing fireworks permits, the use of fireworks, or the fireworks amnesty program, please call the Fire Prevention Branch at 932-2911 (Hilo) or 323-4760 (Kona).
Maui County Fire Permit locations:
Foodland Kaʻahumanu, 90 Kāne St., Kahului
Foodland Kīhei, 1881 S. Kīhei Road, Kīhei
Foodland Pukalani, 55 Pukalani St., Pukalani
Foodland Kehalani, 255 Kehalani Village Drive, Wailuku
King’s Cathedral, Walmart parking lot, 101 Pakaula St., Kahului
Nāpili Market, 5095 Nāpilihau St., Suite 107-A, Lahaina
Pacific Starr Fireworks, Piʻikea Village Shopping Center, 281 Piʻikea Ave., Kīhei
Safeway Maui Lani parking lot, 58 Maui Lani Parkway, Wailuku
Pine Isle Market, 356 8th St., Lānaʻi City, Lānaʻi
King’s Chapel, 1001 Fraser Ave., Lānaʻi City, Lānaʻi
Misaki Market, 78 Ala Mālama Ave., Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi
Take’s Variety Store, 29 Mohala St., Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi
For additional information on fireworks permits, contact the Maui Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-876-4690
Kauai County Fire permit:
To apply for a firecracker permit, please follow the instructions below. A smartphone or tablet is recommended for the application process to facilitate uploading a photo ID.
Visit https://connect.kauai.gov, click on the “Kaua’i Fire Department” icon, and then click the “Firecracker Permit” icon.
If approved, the permit will be emailed to you.
Print the permit and bring it to the Kaua’i Fire Department Headquarters at 4444 Rice Street, Suite 315, in Līhu’e, from now until Dec. 31, 2024, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed on Christmas day).
If you need assistance creating a Kauai.gov account or don’t have a printer, Fire Department staff can assist you with applying and collecting payment at Kauai Fire Department Headquarters
Payments: Online payments are available at connect.kauai.gov. Cash and checks can be made in person at the Fire Department. Checks must be made out to the Director of Finance.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
All Permits printed on connect.kauai.gov need to be validated in person at Kaua’i Fire Department HQ.
For more information about fire safety or questions about applying for a permit, please contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at 808-241-4985.