Fireworks Show at The 2009 Saskatoon Fireworks Festival

Display location:Saskatoon
City:Saskatoon
Country:Australia
Date:Sept.4-5.
Event website:www.saskatoonfireworksfestival.ca.

Details:Rodrigo "Chico" Ruggieri has that rare double talent of creating explosions and making people happy.

Blowing stuff up and making his clients and spectators smile is what it's about for Ruggieri, owner of Ruggieri Fireworks and Special Effects.

Ruggieri will bring his talents to Saskatoon on Friday and Saturday for the Saskatoon Fireworks Festival.

His company puts on about 60 shows a year, ranging from indoor pyrotechnics for concerts, corporate and sporting events through to traditional firework shows and pyromusical musical productions such as the upcoming Saskatoon show.

The complexity of his shows stretch from the basic 'I'm having a big barbecue and want to pop off a few fireworks,' to full-on pyromusical productions that take weeks, and sometimes months, to design, package and co-ordinate crews and logistics.

Ruggieri has put on many fireworks shows in Saskatoon during the years, and he's looking forward to this weekend's event, where the fireworks will launch each night from the Traffic Bridge.

It's not every day you get the opportunity to shoot a show off a bridge so it really stretches the imagination in the design process, Ruggieri says.

"The bridge is what makes the Saskatoon Fireworks Festival different than the other festivals in Canada," he says.

For fireworks designers, a bridge is a unique opportunity. It's a challenge that really gets the heart pumping.

"There is no comparison to our other gigs. It's a bridge, and we have only begun to scratch the surface of all the design possibilities."

Ruggieri started out as a DJ at 15 and slipped into using fireworks as a means to add a cool edge to his show.

"One thing lead to another and 20 years later, 'Boom, here I am.' "

Ruggieri plays the role of artistic/technical director of the Saskatoon show, which means he not only takes care of his own company's contributions, but he's also responsible for co-ordinating the requirements for the invited company.

Ruggieri Fireworks will join forces this year with Archangel Fireworks from Winnipeg, with Ruggieri facilitating the fireworks site logistics such as security, audio systems and safety of the spectators and crews.

Ruggieri's show is Friday at 10:30 p.m., with Archangel Fireworks' production blasting off on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Both shows are choreographed to music, which will be amplified throughout River Landing and Rotary Park and available on the 106.9 FM radio signal.

Organizers say this year's fireworks festival cultural showcase at the River Landing Amphitheatre offers some of Saskatoon's most talented cultural performers. The showcase kicks off each night at 5 p.m. and admission is free.

The 2009 Saskatoon Fireworks Festival features three performance venues: A Sparkler Social (ticketed event) featuring singer-songwriter Carrie Catherine hosted at the Frank and Ellen Remai Arts Centre; the free showcase at the ampitheatre and the festival pavilion at Rotary Park with live bands and a beer garden.

For more information visit www.saskatoonfireworksfestival.ca.