Peter Lobner
There is a good history of fireworks by Joe Carmichael posted on the INVERSE website at the following link:
https://www.inverse.com/article/9731-fireworks-a-brief-history-of-things-exploding-attractively
Here, you can scroll through an illustrated timeline (see screenshot, below) from the advent of bamboo firecrackers in 200 BCE to modern day fireworks.
Source: INVERSE
Of local interest, the timeline includes the July 4th 2012 San Diego Big Bay Boom (aka Big Bay Bust), when a technical malfunction caused all fireworks on multiple barges in the bay to be fired prematurely in a spectacular 30 second pyrotechnic display.
Source: YouTube
In case you missed the actual event, you can see a (short) video at the following link:
My personal favorite is the Sydney, Australia New Year’s fireworks display, which begins with what looks like an explosive demolition of the Harbor Bridge and then continues with the spectacular main event seen in the photos below.
Source: http://www.inewyearsevequotes.com/happy-new-years-eve-sydney-fireworks-2016/
You can see a short video of the start of Sydney’s 2016 New Year’s fireworks at the following link:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/dec/31/sydney-harbour-new-year-fireworks-2016-video