Fireworks are a Family Tradition in Durham

There's no town-wide Fourth of July celebration in Durham, still the town might just be the fireworks capital of Connecticut.

For nearly 30 years, the Dapkus family has been selling fireworks out of their headquarters at 63 Commerce Circle, a three-acre property located just off Route 157 where the late John Dapkus once built fireworks with his own hands.

While no longer manufactures fireworks, the company is the state's only consumer fireworks distribution outlet and storage facility.

"We have people even from New Jersey come all the way up here just for fountains and sparkelers," said Tyler Wilcox, the nephew of company president Michael Dapkus.

Dapkus recently opened Stateline Fireworks, a fireworks outlet store in Winchester, New Hampshire, where more explosive fireworks are still allowed.

In Connecticut, strict regulations limit fireworks to "non-explosive, non-aerial devices that contain less than 100 grams of pyrotechnic mixture."

While you won't find roman candles or rockets at Dapkus' retail sparkler and fountain stand, everything you'll find on the shelves — from the Black Cat Fountastic Fountain to the Shogun Festival of Fire — is legal.

"The bigger ones go up to like 15-20 feet," Wilcox said. "A lot of them do have a performance desription on them on it, the colors, what kind of sparks they have."

The Dapkus Retail Sparkler and Fountain Stand is open June 29 - July 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For information about the company, including a list of fireworks available for purchase, visit their website.