Buying fireworks at times other than New Year

Thought I'd bring this topic up since it's almost bonfire night.

It seems from some previous posts that they're easy to find around Christmas time but has anyone found any outside of Weinachten? I know they don't have November 5th celebrations in Germany but some shops in the UK sell them year round.

Thanks!

I think there is some sort of law/regulation that prohibits stores from selling them, except in the period immediately preceding New Year's Eve.

They have been banned and for good reason; they frighten cats and dogs.
Donate the money you might spend to a worthy cause instead. You'll feel
better.

My boyfriend said he saw some sparklers in Bauhaus in Frankfurt so you might find some near you.

Not the same I know but I agree they frighten cats and dogs. We wanted some for our party on Saturday but realise it is not sensible to let them off in our garden who knows what the neighbours will think...

Nobody seems to care about the cats and dogs at Sylvester though.

If cats and dogs had opposable thumbs, they'd be firing rockets at each other's kennels too.

Small fireworks (the crappy kind that don't scare the shit out of domesticated animals and wildlife) are available all the year round as are sparklers. The stuff that goes bang and whoosh is only available, as tom mentioned, just before New Year.

If you can read German, good info here.
It's more to do with the use than the purchase - but check with your local council.
Basically for the Average Joe, only two categories of fireworks can be used from January 2nd - 30th December each year: Class I (sparklers, small Catherine Wheels) and T1 (technical purpose fireworks with certain limitations as marked on the packaging).
Only on December 31st from 6pm until January 1st at 1am each year is it allowed to let off fireworks to celebrate New Year (stuff like rockets, bangers, fountains, battery fires...), whether on private grounds or not unless done so by a licenced pryotechnic specialist.
Should there be a big specific party (e.g. golden wedding anniversary, big birthday etc.), a private individual can get a permit from the local applicable council (exception to § 24(1) of 1. SprengV). Costs vary, must be applied for in advance and you need this document to buy fireworks for use outside of the New Year period.
Using imported bangers etc can incur a criminal prosecution, not just a civil one.
So get a permit if you need one.

I wonder how much a permit costs? Quite a lot I imagine otherwise the GEA would get one for their bonfire night, or maybe they are just really hard to get.

What would the police do if a bunch of big kids went down to the olympic park on Nov 5th and had a bit of a fireworks party? Would that really be such a big deal? I would never do such a thing but just out of interest...!

wow, I guess fireworks are out of the question then! Sorry, should have been more specific. Was really only looking for sparklers and the crappy little ones but even this isn't worth the hassle...

ah well, will have to settle on missing out this year.

Thanks for your help!

Twix

Many Drogeriemärkte such as Müller stock sparklers, that's doable. You'll see a lot of folk with them at ice hockey matches for example.
Some councils just don't issue permits, not sure on Munich's policy or costs.

If you have a Tedi http://www.tedi-discount.de/ near you then they have all sorts of Non gunpowder type & sparklers & also I imagine Aldi & Lidl will start selling them soon too, probably not before Nov 5th though.

Well Penny markt http://www.penny.de/ have packets of kids fireworks starting Monday 5th.

I believe an officer of the law who lives near us actually has a pyrotechnic license...

Has anyone seen any sparklers aroung Munich?