Organizers say Mandan’s New Year’s Eve fireworks set a record; July 3 pyro‑musical planned

Mandan Progress Organization representative Matt Shenandoah told the City Commission on Jan. 6 that the group’s Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve pyro‑musical and fireworks display near Mandan High School drew large crowds, raised funds for local organizations and included what organizers described as a Guinness‑trackable record attempt.

“Our sellout parking‑lot capacity was 852 spots, and we estimate between about 4,000 to 4,500 people were on‑site at Mandan High School,” Shenandoah said, adding that parking‑lot proceeds totaled “just over $30,000,” funds organizers will split among the Western North Dakota Honor Flight, the Wounded Warrior Project and the Mandan High School marching band.

Shenandoah also described a world‑record attempt involving Roman‑candle devices that, he said, achieved “2,800,000 plus” shots in under a minute. He characterized the main portion of the event as a 45‑second record segment within a longer pyro‑musical that included the national anthem and tributes to veterans.

Organizers said the show was broadcast on multiple livestream platforms and estimated that online views and streams numbered in the millions. The commission’s meeting transcript records these figures as organizer estimates; the city did not independently verify the counts during the meeting.

Shenandoah previewed a free, July 3 pyro‑musical to be produced again with Pegasus Illuminations and said the shoot site will be just north of the middle school, beginning at about 10:30 p.m.; more details will be posted to the event Facebook page as they become available.

The remarks were made as part of the commission’s announcements; no action by the commission was required.