Last week a ship loaded with over 13 tons of fireworks and equipment destined for the Port of Mariel in Cuba set sail. Fireworks FX, a small Canadian company from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia has been tasked with one of the most exciting events of the century about to take place in Havana this November.
Fred Wade, the president of Fireworks FX spoke to Cuba Business Report’s editor over the phone about this once in a lifetime event, the staging of the Habana 500 fireworks display, how his company came to Cuba, his experiences working on the Island and the company’s future roadmap.
There are not many people in the world who have been up to the ‘lantern dome’ which sits on the cupola of the Capitolio, but Fred Wade has been there. His company will be staging the fireworks displays that will take place in two locations in Havana, one at the El Capitolio building and the other at El Morro Castle this November.
Cuba Business Report: How long has your company been doing business in Cuba?
Fred Wade: Our first exploratory meeting regarding the Cuban market took place in 2011 with Arturo Mena who was working for Nova Scotia Business Inc. as a consultant for the Latin America market. He now owns his own consulting firm in Halifax M & C Latin Consulting. In 2012 I attended my first FIHAV (la Feria Internacional de Cuba) as part of the trade delegation from Atlantic Canada organized by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and I haven’t missed one since.
Cuba Business Report: Tell us about your company and why and how Fireworks FX ended up working in Cuba?
I had never been to Cuba and thought the Island offered some real potential. Cuba has not used fireworks historically for celebrating as do the other Caribbean islands. Seeing the potential with the growth in tourism developments, it grew from there.
I see our future business in Cuba with the hotel industry which plays host for special events such as destination weddings and other celebrations such as New Year’s Eve, then there are corporate, cultural and sporting events etc.
Cuba Business Report: Do you see the United States embargo against Cuba as a hindrance to business?
Mr Wade: No. I see it as an opportunity for Canadian business/foreign investors. Once the embargo is lifted, Cuba will be flooded with U.S. trade. For us, if the Americans were already in Cuba, there would be not a chance for a company like ours, a small rural company from Nova Scotia to get a foothold, a chance to succeed in the Cuban market.
One day the embargo will go away, it is not a question of “if” but only “when.” At that time the flood gates will open with an explosion of U.S. tourism and business. Then it will be Cuba’s time in the sun. But right now, the embargo is a great opportunity for Canadian companies and foreign investors.
The bulk of tourists are Canadian, it’s been that way now and forever. Cuba and Canada have a good relationship which goes a long way back from the days when schooners from Nova Scotia set sail to Cuba, loaded up with salt fish, lumber and potatoes that would then return with loaded with molasses and rum.
You know, we Nova Scotians have a special relationship with Cuba that goes way back to 1903. Cuba’s first president opened a consulate up on Main Street in Yarmouth (Nova Scotia). Cuba used to import their codfish from Spain but after Cuba’s independence from Spain in 1898 that changed and Cuba started getting their cod fish from us. So Nova Scotia’s relationship with Cuba goes back more than a century.
Cuba Business Report: Tell us what you have learned about Cubans and doing business in Cuba?
Mr Wade: Cuba is “not like any other market.” It takes more work to get your name out there, to meet the people and organizations that you need to, and things do not happen quickly, patience is required!
Relationships are very important to Cubans as they are for us. Once you establish a relationship,
Cuba Business Report: So, let’s talk about the fireworks displays your company is doing in Havana for the city’s 500th anniversary. Tell us how Fireworks FX is going to light up the city skies.
Mr Wade: The first shows will take place at the El Morro Castle on November 15, this is a traditional fireworks display. The show on the next night at El Capitolio is for a gala event with thousands of seated guests in the plaza in front of the newly restored building. This show is a pyro-musical where the fireworks are choreographed in exact timing with the music.
We have a team of 8 technicians from Canada to prepare the two shows and we will have a team of 15 Cuban assistants at each site as well.
Cuba Business Report: How are you going to stage the Capitolio fireworks show?
Mr Wade: We will be using the entire Capitolio building which is massive, pyrotechnics from ground level at the front of the building, the entire length of the roof, the giant dome of the cupola and even to the lantern dome on the very top. Almost a ton of pyrotechnics fired in 4 minutes!
Cuba Business Report: Wow! That’s impressive! That’s never been done before.
Mr Wade: It is. It’s never been done before. We’re very excited.
Cuba Business Report: How did you win the contract to stage the fireworks display for the 500th Anniversary of the City of Havana?
Mr Wade: We were selected from our reputation, the quality of our work and the fact that we were known in Cuba.
Cuba Business Report: Did you present to President Diaz-Canel? How did you present what you had to offer the Havana 500 Anniversary Celebration? What format? What did he say?
Mr Wade: We were required to provide a computer video simulation of both shows to the authorities to be reviewed and approved. We were told the composer of the music for the Capitolio show, Frank Fernandez viewed it he said it was in perfect rhythm with his music, and our designer has music in his blood! And, after viewing the video, the President stated that he liked it very much.
Cuba Business Report: Have you done any other fireworks display in Cuba before this one?
Mr Wade: Yes, we did the
The 500th anniversary celebrations in Santiago established our company’s name in Cuba. The show was paid for by the Italian company ITALSAV as a gift to Cuba for the 500th anniversary celebrations. ITALSAV operates a chain of stores in Cuba which sells household items.
ITALSAV had sponsored earlier pyrotechnical shows in Cuba and had used Italian and Spanish companies in the past. When these companies became too expensive and they looked for other providers, they found our company.
We have done three other shows in Santiago de Cuba including the July 25, “Santiago de las Luces” 2018 Anniversary of the Revolution and last New Years Eve celebrations 2018 for the city.
We have also done something for the Caravan of Freedom which travels from Santiago de Cuba to Havana each year retracing the path of Fidel Castro’s victorious army
The city of Cienfuegos has also used Fireworks FX to light up their skies for their city’s 200th birthday last April. This was sponsored by France’s Cuba Cooperation France, a non-profit organization representing the French descendants of families who once lived in Cienfuegos.
Cuba Business Report: What’s in store for Fireworks FX in the future?
Mr Wade: Our roadmap for development includes training courses in Cuba so that we can develop a base of trained Cuban technicians so that eventually we will not have to send experts from Canada. We will need to establish storage for both inventory and equipment in Cuba because at present each show must be shipped by sea container which is a significant expense.
Cuba Business Report: Fred, I’d like to thank you for speaking to Cuba Business Report about one of the most exciting events in Havana’s history. Fireworks FX is going to be putting on the most amazing show the night skies of Havana and the citizens of the City have ever seen. This is truly marvelous.
T.K. Hernández is co-founder and editor at Cuba Business Report. Her work has been published in various online news media publications. She has supported fundraising for Cuba’s last two hurricane disaster relief campaigns and is a member of the Cuban Friendship Association. She is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and ACES International alliance of editors. Ms. Hernández is the author of three books, most recently, “The Cuba Interviews: Conversations on Foreign Investment and Economic Development,” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023).
