Blackpool World Firework Championship

As many of you have seen, the Blackpool World Firework Championship had its third round yesterday, Saturday the 9th.

This week we saw the German team compete, as their set had an homage to Ludwig van Beethoven.

We had the opportunity to speak with the German team’s display designer, Stefan Haupt of Haupt-Feuerwerk-Berlin, as he explained to us his vision for the German firework display.

Stefan stated how honoured he felt to be part of the design team for Germany, as this set piece was very special to him and Germany as well. A little over 250 years ago, Ludwig van Beethoven was born, so the firework show was dedicated to him, with the title of it being ‘Beethoven’s Birthday Bash’. The firework display was meant to be displayed last year for Beethoven’s 250th birthday, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic, of course. So, team Germany decided to hold on to their previous year’s plans and save them for this year, to continually show tribute to Beethoven’s legacy.

When discussing the genres of music during the display, Haupt said, “Don’t be afraid, this won’t be a classical concert night. Instead, you will hear everything from rock to hip hop rhythms, concluding in a big finale celebrating the original symphonic sound.”

The wide variety of music appeals to many different crowds, which gives this set an advantage during the competitions.

Concluding our interview, Haupt gave special thanks to Titanium Fireworks, the company used for the display, as well as the authorities of Blackpool.

Titanium Fireworks Setting up the trailers from which the display’s are launched. They are prepared on land and taken to the beach when the tide allows.

Blackpool World Firework Championships

This free event is a great place to take the family for an outing, while also witnessing some fun pyrotechnic competition between different countries. The location for the firework display is by the beach, in front of Blackpool Tower.

Busy crowds for the Russian Display in September.

To get a good view of the firework show, it is best to get there early and stake your claim, as there are going to be many people in attendance. Along those same lines, the firework shows draw in hundreds of thousands of people, which can be seen in this YouTube video that was recorded from the previous firework show (25th of September) near North Pier.

With crowds this large, it is important that you also plan your commute accordingly. The Visit Blackpool information page explains that mass amounts of people will create traffic delays when entering and leaving the event. So, they are encouraging everyone to use alternative methods of travel such as the tram systems or buses. If that is not an option for you, they advise attending the event early to find a parking place, and using the southern car parks and tramways.

With Germany being the last contestant to present in the firework championship, we will see if they can top Russia and Ireland’s displays from the previous weeks. The winner will take the coveted title from the previous winner, Ukraine, and hold their winning position until next year’s event. You can view the German Display in the video below.
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The finale of the firework championship begins on October 23rd with firing expected around 8:30pm, as the winners are announced before a celebratory display goes on. This set, put on by Titanium Fireworks, is meant to showcase more intricate pyrotechnical displays, which are sure to be spectacular, but without the competitive nature of the previous displays. Titanium are the company responsible for large displays like the London New Year Fireworks and for the London Olympic ceremony.

The shows are, as usual, subject to weather changes, and are set to begin at 19:30 pm with the firework shows set to begin at about 20:30 pm.

With the end of the firework championships on the horizon, attendees should note that Blackpool’s Illuminations Season has been extended into January of 2022, so there will be more events coming up throughout the rest of the year. Be on the lookout for the upcoming shows and stay safe, Blackpool.