AUBURN — Fireworks and water just don't mix.
"You can't shoot fireworks in the rain, for a couple of reasons," said Jeff Zduniak, pyrotechnician for New Hampshire's RS Fireworks.That's the group scheduled to present the display Saturday night over the Twin Cities' Great Falls.
"Obviously, you can't shoot in the rain because the product just won't go off," Zduniak said. ""But also, if you do get it to go off, it might go off low and be too close to people. Somebody might get hurt, and you can't let that happen."
Organizers of the Twin Cities' Liberty Festival will decide the fate of Saturday's fireworks display by 1 p.m., according to Director Richard Martin.
If the weather permits, Zduniak and the rest of the RS Fireworks team will begin launching their rockets from Auburn's West Pitch Park at 9:30 p.m.
If the rain forces a delay, the display is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
The decision will come down to the difference between rain and simply wet weather. The pyrotechnicians can do their job if rain stops long enough.
"We've shot in misty weather before," Zduniak said. "All we need is a break in the rain, and we should be good."
Setting up takes several hours, he said. First, the crew of five needs to put the physical racks in place before they can begin deploying the fireworks. Each firework is wrapped in plastic, and the loaded racks are covered in a tarp until show time.
"It takes a couple of hours to set up the mechanical stuff, and then another couple to get the fireworks set," Zduniak said. "And this will take a bit longer because it's a 20-minute show."
staylor@sunjournal.com