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After several years of revenue growth, sales at Montgomery County specialty catering business Carbecue will likely tail off this year, owing to the recession.

But not this Fourth of July weekend, which is providing as big a boost as in previous years.

The company, which uses converted Volkswagen Super Beetles as barbecue grills, plans to work a 135-person wedding in Fort Washington and an annual neighborhood party in Potomac this weekend.

"We have had to turn down a couple of jobs," said Jeff Korns of Potomac, who runs the part-time business with partner Mike Jewell of Olney. For the year, however, corporate parties are down, and Carbecue will likely pull in less than the $72,000 in sales it rang up last year, Korns said.

The recession might be putting a damper on many businesses, but some besides Carbecue are enjoying their usual Independence Day lift. Nationwide fireworks sales are expected to increase by 2 percent to $960 million this year from last year, according to fireworks trade group American Pyrotechnics Association of Bethesda. That's a record level, about double from a decade ago.

About two-thirds of the total is for consumer or backyard fireworks use, with the rest for bigger displays, said Julie L. Heckman, executive director of the association.

"This is a very strong year for sales of backyard fireworks," Heckman said. "Some wholesalers are saying this could be their best year ever."

With the Fourth on Saturday, and today a federal holiday, fireworks sales are up, Heckman said. The bright lights and loud noises also help lift spirits during tough economic times.

"It's a wholesome, relatively inexpensive way to celebrate the holiday," Heckman said. "People are looking for things to help improve their attitude and mood. Fireworks provide a great mood lightener."

Temporary stands tend to do well, she said. Some wholesalers, such as Patriotic Fireworks near Elkton, sell over the Internet.

While some states outlaw fireworks entirely, most counties in Maryland allow some, such as ground-based sparklers, she said. Some counties, including Montgomery and Prince George's, do not allow any backyard fireworks.

More people have been heeding safety precautions, and the fireworks association regularly conducts safety awareness campaigns, Heckman said. Injuries from fireworks dropped to 7,000 last year from 9,800 in 2007 and 11,000 in 2000, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Last year, more people were hurt by Christmas tree lights and decorations than by fireworks, according to the fireworks association.

Signs of slowdown

There are some signs that the recession is hurting the barbecue industry and others associated with the July Fourth holiday. The number of grills shipped to North American households last year declined by 4 percent from 2007, to 16.7 million, according to the Arlington, Va., trade group Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.

Some cities are canceling or scaling back fireworks displays, but it's not as widespread as some media reports might lead people to believe, Heckman said. She was not aware of any Maryland communities canceling fireworks displays, though she said some were probably tightening their budgets.

Last year, the budget for an annual festival that includes fireworks and a concert at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds was cut by 21 percent to $54,000. However, the budget was not further sliced this year.

Not much change for Hargrove

Hargrove Inc. of Lanham, a special events management company, hasn't seen much change in this year's Independence Day business from previous years, said Lana Ostrander, director of marketing and public relations. Hargrove is providing some décor elements for a celebration at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, and signage and banners for a concert at the White House, she said.

Carbecue, which began in 2004 when Korns sought a new use for a 1971 Super Beetle he wanted to restore, plans for future growth as it builds its fourth car grill. The company branched out to cater events in Vermont in November. The business regularly caters charity events, including one later this month for soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Korns said he sometimes searches the Internet to see if anyone has copied his business. He said he found a Corvette used to house a grill in New York, but has not located anyone else doing business as Carbecue.

CELEBRATE AND EAT

The July Fourth holiday weekend is the most popular one for barbecuing, with 69 percent of U.S. grill and smoker owners firing up, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. The Memorial Day weekend is next, at 56 percent, followed by Labor Day with 50 percent.

The most popular foods for barbecuing are hamburgers, steak, chicken and hot dogs, according to the association.

The most utilized flavors of barbecue sauce are hickory, mesquite, honey and tomato-based. The most common ingredient added to barbecue sauce is garlic, followed by brown sugar.

The value of fireworks imported from China in 2008 was $193 million, out of a total of $202 million imported, according to federal figures. The U.S. exported just $28.1 million worth of fireworks in 2008. Australia purchased the most, $5.8 million.