Seasonal & Holidays
EPCHS Teacher Is Organizer Of Evergreen Park Fireworks Displays
Rob Novak's dazzling Independence Day fireworks display will go again at 50-Acre Park in Evergreen Park on Labor Day.
EVERGREEN PARK, IL - The spectacular fireworks display held in Duffy Park after the Village of Evergreen Park’s Independence Day Parade this year was put on by none other than Rob Novak, a longtime math teacher at Evergreen Park Community High School.
Even better - Novak’s show, called by some a “finale with a finale” - will go on again at 50-Acre Park at dusk on Labor Day, Sept. 5, after Rich Daniels and his City Lights Orchestra play a free concert there.
Novak - an EPCHS teacher for 25 years - started organizing fireworks shows in 2006 after he attended a safety class. Three years later, he became a regional manager for a pyrotechnics company and has since organized many of the official 4th of July fireworks displays throughout Northern Illinois.
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He’s now the regional manager for Northern Illinois with ARC Pyrotechnics, an Oklahoma-based fireworks display company. And just this year, he finally landed the show he’s wanted to get for more than a decade: Evergreen Park.
“It’s the best thing ever,” Novak said of having the chance to put the show on in front of his neighbors and friends here in EP. “The people of Evergreen Park deserve a good show, and we’re giving them the best.”
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The 4th Of July Show From Duffy Park
Novak has taught math at EPCHS since 1997, and since then has been involved in the school as a track and cross country coach, as well as Student Government faculty sponsor. Members of the Geary and DeMik families, many of whom are EPCHS alums, helped Novak with the 4th of July show in Evergreen Park this year, he said.
An alum of nearby Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Novak also looks forward to putting on a show during halftime of the Bulldogs’ September 16 Homecoming game, which just happens to be against Evergreen Park.
“It’s a high energy, fast-paced show,” he said. “We do all the choreography ahead of time. It’s like a finale with a finale.”
“Fireworks are supposed to be fun and safe, and that’s what we are about in every show.”
Help Wanted
Novak said the fireworks company he works for is looking for help setting up for shows next season. Reach out to him at robbie.novak@arcpyro.com if interested.
