Residents of Hilo's north side were treated to what appeared to be impromptu professional fireworks on Friday and Saturday night.
"It was better than what they usually do on the Fourth of July," said one woman who called the Tribune-Herald on Monday.
Tim DeLozier, a mortgage banker with LenderOnTheRock in Hilo, organized the weekend pyrotechnics. He said the private show was part of a client-appreciation event held by the East Hawaii chapter of Business Network International, a small business organization. The invitation-only soiree was at DeLozier's Paukaa home. Among the approximately 220 in attendance was Mayor Billy Kenoi, who spoke to partygoers.
"It's the talk of the town right now," DeLozier said Monday afternoon. "I've actually gotten phone calls from folks I don't know, neighbors down the road that I've never met, and I've overheard conversations as I've gone out and about around town.
"The feedback is: It was an amazing show."
The Fire Department said DeLozier had the proper permits for his explosive extravaganza. DeLozier, who was involved with the Lehua Jaycees' annual Fourth of July fireworks between 2005 and 2007, hired professional pyrotechnician Gregg Stempel of Oahu-based Hawaii Special F/X to light up the evening sky.
The Friday fireworks were what DeLozier called "a practice show," while the main event was Saturday night at about 7 p.m. Both events prompted many curious residents in the area to call police and the Tribune-Herald. The half-hour Saturday night special occurred at the same time many Hiloans were glued to the tube watching Wainaku's BJ Penn generate his own pyrotechnics in a successful defense of his UFC title against Diego Sanchez in Memphis, Tenn.
DeLozier said his get-together did not include a viewing of the UFC event. "(Penn's) fans recorded the show and then watched it (later)," DeLozier said.
DeLozier would not disclose the price tag for the fireworks, although the Coconut Island shows on July Fourth cost tens-ofthousands of dollars. He also did not know if similar displays would become an annual event for BNI, but noted that everything went according to plan.
"A good time was had by all," he said.
E-mail John Burnett at- jburnett@hawaiitribune--herald.com.
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