RURAL HALL, N.C. — Herman Tant is a full-time construction worker. Fireworks, in his words, are his side hustle.

“This is just for fun,” the pyrotechnician said.

What You Need To Know

  • Herman Tant's full-time job is construction, pyrotechnic work is a side gig

  • His two sons join him in his pyrotechnic work

  • The full process of setting up a fireworks show from beginning to end takes about 12 hours

Working for East Coast Pyrotechnics, Herman Tant started about six years ago.

“I’ve been a scout leader and one of my assistant scoutmasters was a pyrotechnician, and he kept leaving scout camp every summer to go shoot fireworks,” he said. “So, I finally talked him into inviting me one summer, and I’ve been doing it since.”

Herman Tant is joined by two of his sons, Chase and Raiden Tant, making it somewhat of a family business.

It isn’t easy work. It begins with a giant rental truck, packed to the brim with wood pallets, two-by-fours, wires and, of course, the fireworks themselves.

An unload of the truck and a safety inspection later, then the setup begins.

One nail after another, they attach pallets of pipes together to set the fireworks up.

Then, loading the actual explosives into each pipe, wiring them up, stringing them together and putting tinfoil on to mitigate sparks from one firework lighting another.

“It’s the excitement, you’ve been working hard all day to get it done and the excitement of the show,” Herman Tant said. “I think one of my favorite parts is hearing the crowd roar afterwards, that’s probably the coolest part.”

The second coolest part? Bringing his family into his passion.

“My boys are pretty awesome, there’s no other kids out there like them,” Tant said. “I hope I get some grandkids just like them.”

He is more than just a dad, he’s a bit of a coach, too.

“He likes to teach,” Chase Tant said. “So, before I was like 15, I just about knew how to do just about everything.”

This even included checking the weather.

The team wraps each firework in plastic wrap before the show, just in case Mother Nature decided to make an appearance.

“In case we get any kind of moisture,” Herman Tant said. “It’s North Carolina. It could rain, it can … whatever.”

Finally, 11 hours later, the sun dips between the tree line, and darkness begins to lick at the tendrils of daylight, and the show begins.

Dazzling lights and thundering booms set the night sky ablaze, as the Tants scurry around lighting the fireworks. It’s a stressful 20 minutes, but when the crowd roars, Tant cracks a smile.

“Listen to that crowd, boys,” Tant said.