ZELIENOPLE — An explosive deal for thousands of fireworks fans is coming to Butler County in 2013, according to the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau.

Cooper's Lake Campground will host the Pyrotechnics Guild International's annual convention, the bureau announced Wednesday. The Pyrotechnics Guild is an independent worldwide nonprofit organization of 3,500 amateur and professional fireworks enthusiasts.

The event will be Aug. 12-16, 2013, at Cooper's Lake in Slippery Rock Township across Interstate 79 from Moraine State Park.

It is expected to generate $4.5 million in revenue in the county area, according to the bureau.

"We've been working with PGI's team for quite some time, and we're thrilled to share the news that Butler County will be the host location in four years," said Jack Cohen, the bureau's executive director.

"This is the largest event we've secured, and it brings with it a substantial amount of tourism dollars that will be injected into the county. We fully expect that many of the attendees will get out to experience Butler County and visit our member organizations," he said in a news release.

Cooper's Lake has more than 500 acres, 200 of which are used for camping. When Pyrotechnics Guild planners visited Cooper's Lake last year, they liked what they saw.

"We were looking for a wide, open space that could accommodate our activities, plus be accessible for our members," said PGI President Bill Bahr in a news release.

He also said, "A large part of our membership is located in the eastern and Midwest regions of the country. Butler County's proximity to major highways, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Pittsburgh International Airport are big benefits."

Fireworks enthusiasts will be able to attend each night of the convention for multihour fireworks displays. The cost will be a parking fee.

Besides allowing guild members to meet, the convention is a showcase for fireworks displays and is a way for companies to attract event organizers and municipalities for future fireworks work.

Fred Brezel, one of Cooper's Lake's owners, said Wednesday that one of the key factors to getting the fireworks convention was the help of a longtime campground group, the Society for Creative Anachronism.

That group has been meeting at Cooper's Lake for 33 years during the last week of July and the first week of August.

Brezel said the group, which holds its annual Pennsic War at the campground, approved moving its event in 2013 to different dates to help the campground get the convention.

As for the campground workers, he said they'll be tired at that time since they'll have just one week between the two groups to clean up the campground.

"We're very excited about getting the convention, but (with other groups coming throughout the camping season) we'll have to wait until November to rest," he said.