More than two tonnes of explosives will help light up the skies when the spectacular British Musical Fireworks Championship in Southport returns for two dazzling days on September 20-21.
Today Sefton Council revealed every confirmed competitor at the eye-catching event and exploded some myths around the famous extravaganza which since 1999 has displayed every pyrotechnic effect that can be imagined to music.
With thousands of people expected to again flock to Southport’s Victoria Park for a weekend of wonder, today organisers gave more details of the event which sees those taking part judged alongside the music on synchronisation, mood and flow, patterns, colours, effects, timing and the overall design.
This year’s competitors have been confirmed as Electrify Pyrotechnics, Bright Sparks Fireworks, Xplosive Fireworks, Dynamite Fireworks, Fully Fused Fireworks and The Art of Sparks. Joining regular judge and fireworks professional Bill Davis on the judging panel will be Simon Harding from Sirotechnics (recent winners at the Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique Cannes) Jonathan Finch from Celtic Fireworks and Mike Jones from the Pyro Studio.
And ahead of the event – officials released the following fantastic facts about the British Musical Fireworks Championship.
- Since 1999 the event has seen at least 130 spectacular fireworks displays fired to music to hundreds of thousands of thrilled spectators.
- Over two tonnes of explosive material are used throughout the competition and the total weight of fireworks used is in excess of 10 tonnes!
- Each show will require around 5 kilometres of wire to connect up the electrical circuits and to set up each display, around 15 technicians work for 12 hours.
- Although there may be over 1000 in each display, you will not see a single fuse lit by hand. It’s all done by computers.
- Some of the bigger fireworks will reach a height of 500 metres (that’s five football pitches)
- All fireworks are still handmade, because machines may produce sparks (and no-one wants a spark in a fireworks factory)
- You are unlikely to see any, rockets. Instead, professional displays use ‘shells’ which are onion shaped fireworks fired from mortar tubes.
Tickets are online only – you cannot pay by cash or card on the night.
You can find out more information on display times and buy tickets on the Visit Southport website HERE.
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