PARIS — The Fourth of July is Christmas time for Andre Vandenbulcke.

Owner of AAH Fireworks in West Paris, Vandenbulcke said sales of pyrotechnics, which first became legal in Maine in 2012, will easily surpass 50 percent of their overall annual haul as revelers display their patriotic pride over the holiday weekend.

“We want everyone to have fun, but safety is our major concern,” Vandenbulcke said.

Meanwhile, 10 minutes south along Route 26, the inside of Havoc Fireworks’ store in South Paris is living up to its name.

The shop teemed with last-minute shoppers during the lunch hour Thursday.

The best-selling item, owner Catherine Richardson said, is the Excalibur, a 500-gram canon of fireworks packaged in a glossy cardboard box, replete with a sword prominently displayed on the front reminiscent of the “Legend of Zelda” video game series.

Like their competitors down the road, the next few days are a cornucopia for the store, which will reap 50 percent of its yearly sales in just a few days, Richardson said.

“It’s really chaotic. It can go from nobody to a mob,” she said. 

After a winter slowdown, business took off in June as people came to buy sought-after fireworks before they ran out, Richardson said.

Most customers have an idea what they want their celebration to look like — big, with lots of bright colors and loud noises — but don’t know which of the multitude of products will get them there. It’s where Havoc’s Peter Libby steps in. 

Consumer fireworks can be categorized under two basic types, Libby said: individual units each with their own fuse, and boxed sets of multiple fireworks strung together on one fuse.

Which to buy depends on the personality — and budget — of the customer. There are hundreds of varieties, all wrapped in packages as bright as the colors they’re advertised to produce. They range from professional-quality products set off by towns and cities, to hand-held shells shaped like grenades that are sold in wire bins near the cash register.

While boxed sets are spectacular — one brand named Rouge Wave releases 124 shells in mere seconds for a finale-worthy burst of excitement — they’re over quickly and buyers often find themselves back in the store to keep the displays going. 

By law, the largest sold by Maine law are 500 gram monster-shells that are the loudest and brightest, with names such as Comic Collision and Wake the Neighbors. The effects, Libby said, are spectacular.

One brand sold at AAH and developed in China will occupy 120 feet of sky before fizzling out.

“The fireworks industry has become artistry in the sky,” Vandenbulcke said.

Customers’ preferences Thursday were as varied. One man with a long white beard and wearing jeans held up by suspenders who didn’t want to identify himself said, “I like fireworks more now than when I was a kid.”

After a reputedly long career setting off fireworks, well before they were legal, he said, he had sage advice: “Keep them steady so they don’t fall down and shoot you in the face.” 

Randy Corriveaux of Hiram likens Havoc, with its bright packages, to “an adult candy” store; he was looking for two things Thursday: “The ‘ohs’ and the ‘ahs.'” 

Sam Vining was shopping with Corriveaux, and had a few hundred dollars to spend. It may sound like a lot, but even with the stores combination buy-one-get-one free packages, top-of-the-line items can cost $100 and up. He moved slowly, and shopped wisely.

“If I had the budget, I’d buy this whole place,” Vining said. 

Customers, Libby said, transcend age and defy stereotype.

“There’s no rhyme or reason to it,” he said.