Cold sparks (Sparkular)
The fountain of sparks you see in a TV studio, at a wedding or around a football pitch is usually a Sparkular: an electric machine that makes sparks without fireworks. Pyred brings, sets up and operates them, from two machines at an entrance to dozens around a stadium.
No explosives, no bang: a fountain of sparks, right on the beat.
How a Sparkular works
Inside the machine, fine granules of titanium and zirconium are heated and blown out. In the air they glow as sparks and fall back down. There is no gunpowder and nothing explodes: the machine runs on electricity and is controlled from our desk, so every burst lands on the music.
- Height: from a low fountain of about a metre and a half to a column of sparks of up to 15 metres
- The right machine for the effect: the classic Sparkular for fountains on stage, the Sparkular Jet for high columns, the Sparkular Fall for a curtain of sparks falling from above, the Sparkular Waver for a moving wave, and the Cyclone, Blaster and Wheel for other shapes. We choose the model to fit what you need
- Duration: short bursts or a continuous effect
- Control: every machine on its own cue, or all of them together, from one desk
“Cold” does not mean cold
“Cold sparks” is the everyday name, because there is no fire and no explosion. But every spark is a tiny hot particle. It cools down quickly, which is why the machines can stand much closer to people than fireworks, but you should never touch the sparks. That is why we work with the manufacturer’s safety rules:
- For the classic Sparkular, at least 1 metre between the machine and the audience or anything that can burn, and 1.5 metres with the largest granules; higher models need more distance, as their manual prescribes
- Free space above the highest point of the fountain, and more distance when it is windy or the machine is tilted
- No carpet or flammable floor within the safety zone, because the sparks fall back down
- Smaller granules indoors, as the manufacturer advises
- An operator who watches every machine and can stop it at once
Where we use them
- TV: eight machines in the live final of Dancing with the Stars 2025, a few metres from the dancers
- Company events: sixteen machines at ING Super Thursday and sixteen for 250 years of the United States in Brussels
- Equestrian sport: the show moments of the Brussels Stephex Masters, close to riders and horses
- Football: 45 machines along the pitch for the AFC Champions League Elite final in Jeddah
- Start arches: riders rolling out under a shower of sparks at We Ride Flanders
- Weddings: the entrance of the couple, the first dance or the cake; see special effects for weddings
Sparkular or fireworks?
A Sparkular is not fireworks: there is no explosive mixture inside. It makes one kind of effect, a fountain of sparks, but it can do that close to people and indoors. Stage pyro gives more variety (flashes, waterfalls, coloured bursts) but is real pyrotechnics, with its own rules. Many people call both “cold fireworks”; we explain the difference on “cold fireworks” does not exist.
Renting a Sparkular?
Pyred always comes with the machines, the granules and an operator. Production companies and SFX professionals who want to rent Sparkular machines and operate them themselves can go to our sister company Hyred.
Frequently asked questions
Are cold sparks really cold?
No. Each spark is a small hot particle that cools down quickly. That is why a Sparkular can stand closer to people than fireworks (at least 1 metre for the classic model), but the sparks should never be touched.
Can a Sparkular be used indoors?
Yes, it is one of the most used effects indoors: in TV studios, arenas and party venues. We use smaller granules indoors, keep the safety zone free of carpet and flammable material, and agree on the fire detection with the venue beforehand.
Do I need a permit for a Sparkular?
A Sparkular is not fireworks, and there is no national Belgian rule for these machines. The venue and the municipality can still set conditions, so we always check that before the event. For real fireworks the rules are stricter: see fireworks permits in Belgium.
Can the sparks be coloured?
The sparks themselves are golden-white. Coloured light from the stage lighting gives them a colour on camera and in the room; for real colour we combine them with other effects.