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Steve Stoler reports

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McKINNEY -- The skies above North Texas will light up in an array of color this weekend with Independence Day celebrations.

One of those events is in McKinney, where a 21-year-old entrepreneur is behind the pyrotechnic display.

University of North Texas graduate David Rosenbaum is president of North Texas Pyrotechnic Productions.

Rosenbaum's hobby and passion has become his occupation.

He started the company when he was 19. It was designed as a way to make enough money to go to law school. Two years later, his business is exploding. He's putting on four shows this weekend.

"We have some ground effects. We have some aerial bursts. It's going to be choreographed to music as well. So as the music changes mood, the fireworks changes mood," said Rosenbaum.

And it's not just professional displays that are attracting big crowds.

Fireworks stands are reporting big sales nationwide, including here in North Texas.

"It's kind of weird because you'd think with the economy, people wouldn't want to spend their money," Rosenbaum says. "But it makes people happy and is a tradition once a year."

Customers say the sagging economy has a lot to do with the sales boom.

"I think a lot more people are staying home for the holiday, not getting out and spending money to fly or drive to get out of town," says Sherri Spears, who was buying fireworks for her family.

For Rosenbaum, it's a tradition he never dreamed would turn into a livelihood and a way to bring joy to so many people.

The Collin County Fire Marshall and Sheriff's Office will have a small army of people out in the unincorporated areas of the county over the holiday weekend looking for violators.