ONCE RIVERFEST ENDS THE REAL PROFESSIONALS MOVE IN

Contact: Kevin Lynch
513-254-7570 (m)

ONCE RIVERFEST ENDS THE REAL PROFESSIONALS MOVE IN

Erlanger, KY/August 25, 2007—The nation's largest domestic association representing fireworks businesses will really be bringing the world to Northern Kentucky for its annual trade show September 5-7.

The National Fireworks Association (NFA, www.nationalfireworks.org) Expo 2007 features seminars on safety issues during the day at the Holiday Inn Airport in Erlanger and 20 night time demonstrations at an undisclosed Southeast Indiana location.

Following seminars and fireworks Wednesday, September 5 through Friday, September 7, a fireworks competition between four companies will take place Saturday night, September 8 following by a closing show by NFA member company Rozzi Fireworks. The exact location of the evening demonstrations is not being disclosed as they are closed to the public.

NFA President Kevin Lynch, a Greendale, Indiana resident, says the number of Chinese manufacturers that attend the show (open only to NFA members) has grown astronomically over the years.

"Eighty-five to ninety percent of the manufacturers are from China. Beginning in the late 1990s we saw a pretty good shift from American to Chinese influence. But it all really started with détente and President Nixon in the early 70s, which convinced the Chinese to begin exporting fireworks here. At that time, the U.S. controlled about 80 percent of the manufacturing segment, added Lynch."

Lynch says they have 16 Chinese companies coming to exhibit and demonstrate product and demonstrations have grown 25 percent from last year's expo in Wisconsin. Membership has also grown with nearly 600 people signed up for the show compared to less than 550 in 2006.

Lynch says another industry trend is increased safety and increase consumption of fireworks. Federal statistics show the amount of consumer fireworks sold has more than doubled from 120 million pounds in 1996 to 283 pounds in 2005. During those same years, injuries are down from 6.1 instances per 100,000 pounds of fireworks consumed to 3.1 instances.

Lynch says representatives from such groups as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the Department of Transportation and shipping experts will present safety information during the show. Further information about the expo can be obtained on NFA's web site.

The mission of the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau is that of an aggressive sales, marketing, service and informational organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact the Northern Kentucky economy through conventions, meetings and visitor expenditures. The direct economic impact of visitors' spending in Campbell, Kenton and Boone Counties in 2006 was $263 million.