Top 10 Most Beautiful Fireworks Displays in the World!
To celebrate the launch of our Fireworks capsule collection, and because current circumstances shouldn't stop us from dreaming or wishing to escape the humdrum of our WFH lives, the Vilebrequin team has rounded up the largest pyrotechnic events in the world, their beauty matched only by their grandness. You ain’t seen nothing yet!
Who can’t picture those impatient, wide-eyed faces gazing up to the heavens, whooping and cheering? “Oh, look at that blue one! And the green one! Whoaaa! What about that red one?” A Proust madeleine for some, the culmination of long summer nights for others, fireworks are synonymous of magic and wonder, whether you’re 5 or 85. An enchanting moment shared by many around the world since, from Sydney to Rio and Kyoto to Vancouver, via a plethora of tiny villages, fireworks bring people together under one colourful banner. Here we go!
The history of fireworks dates back a very long time, when warding off evil spirits and fighting one’s enemies were key concerns. Indeed, humanity’s first firecracker exploded as early as 200 BC and was the fruit of children’s timeless and limitless imagination... using a simple bamboo stalk. With adults being somewhat slower at showcasing their talents, it’s not until the 9th century AD that powder, as used in modern-day fireworks, saw the light of day. And between the rumbling and devastating war that marked its first and powerful use to our most spectacular national holidays, Olympic Games and family events, there is but... a powder trail.
Each more creative, professional and impressive than the next, fireworks displays nowadays light up the sky of our beautiful blue planet on a regular basis.
Note: The dates featured in this article are for information purposes only and are subject to change. Make sure you check them on relevant websites.
AND AS A BONUS:
The largest fireworks display in the world
Once again, Japan is the winner, all categories combined! The Yonshakudama, launched every year during the Katakai Matsuri (aka Katakai Festival), is the largest fireworks display in the world! With its giant 420-kg shell, it even features in the Guinness Book of Records.
In China: the tradition of Dashuhua
Developed by blacksmiths in a steel- and iron-manufacturing area near Beijing more than 500 years ago, Dashuhua has become a long-standing tradition in the Middle Kingdom, listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. A powerful and dangerous launch of molten iron against a cold wall produces a spectacular shower of sparks. This magnificent show of iron and fire flowers has become a true art form and is carried out mainly during the Lantern Festival.
Rio de Janeiro: an exceptional New Year’s Eve
There are some things in life you just can’t miss... Dancing at Les Caves du Roy in Saint-Tropez, drinking a cappuccino at the Caffè Florian in Venice, swimming in the crystal-clear and shark-free waters of a Polynesian lagoon, smelling the sakura, or cherry blossom, in Japan and celebrating New Year’s Eve in Rio! Millions of people dressed entirely in white take over the most iconic Brazilian beach: Copacabana. Brazilians sure know how to party: the atmosphere is electric, joyful and tactile, and the fireworks display is one of the most beautiful in the world.
Drones are the new fireworks!
If drones are gradually taking over our day-to-day lives, and skies, they could also represent the future of fireworks. The possibilities of visual creations are almost endless, and, more importantly, these IFOs (Identified Flying Objects) help to considerably reduce noise and pollution. In 2019, the city of Shanghai actually replaced its traditional fireworks display with a spectacular show made up of 2,000 drones. A true revolution!
