The Best 4th of July Fireworks Show Yet | Nisswa Freedom Days

Camp Nisswa
Jul 12
3 min read

Updated: Jul 12

Behind the Scenes + Full Photo Gallery

When someone says, “Nisswa puts on a great fireworks show,” they’re absolutely right—but this year? This year was next level.

We were lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making the biggest 4th of July fireworks show in Nisswa history happen—and let’s just say, it’s a lot more than just lighting a fuse.

Behind The Boom: Prepping for the Show

Troy Wright, the mastermind and owner of North Star Fireworks, reached out to Camp Nisswa with an invite we couldn’t pass up: come see the setup for the Freedom Days fireworks show firsthand.

So on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025—under a hot summer sun—the Camp Nisswa crew rolled up to the Nisswa Community Center, where the North Star Fireworks team was already unloading trucks, organizing tubes, syncing wireless controllers, and laying out what would soon light up the night sky.

Troy walked us through how it all works. He personally designs each fireworks show using COBRA Show Creator—a system that lets him sync the entire show down to the second. He puts on music, pictures the show in his head, and brings it to life digitally before it ever hits the sky.

And this year’s show? It was extra special. Not only because it was in Nisswa, but because it was the biggest show Nisswa has ever had. Major props to the Nisswa Chamber of Commerce and the City of Nisswa for teaming up to increase the fireworks budget. Huge shoutout to Kalie from the Chamber, who worked behind the scenes to help make it happen.

Troy told us that North Star Fireworks puts on about 40 shows a year, and around 15 during the 4th of July week alone. With a crew that can spread out across the state, they’ve got it down to a science—but every show still gets that personal touch.

Between wind, crowd safety, spacing, and tech checks, a ton of work goes into each display. We were incredibly grateful to be allowed inside the safety zone to capture a few behind-the-scenes shots—huge thanks to Troy and the crew for the trust and hospitality.

The Show Begins

As dusk settled over Nisswa, the town was ready for fireworks. Families were gathered. Lawn chairs were out. And anticipation was building.

At 10:15 PM sharp, Nisswa’s Mayor Jennifer Carnahan kicked things off—and BOOM—the sky lit up.

From our vantage points around town—and from right behind the launch site (with permission and proper safety clearance)—we captured the magic.

This was more than just fireworks. It was a celebration of community, hard work, and a reminder of how special this town really is.

Now, enjoy the full photo gallery below!

From set-up to showtime, we’ve put together a collection of over 100 photos to give you a front-row seat to the biggest and best Freedom Days fireworks display Nisswa has ever seen.

Special thanks again to:

Troy Wright & the North Star Fireworks crew
The Nisswa Chamber of Commerce & Kalie for her tireless work behind the scenes
Mayor Jennifer Carnahan
The City of Nisswa
And everyone who showed up to make this 4th of July a night to remember.