Epic Fireworks Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Independence Day’

To celebrate Singapore’s independence from Malaysia in 1965, Marina Bay Singapore will host the BIGGEST display yet.

The very first National day parade started at 9am on the 9th of August 1966, and has gradually increased the number of fireworks used over the years, from just 4000 in 2004 to 9000 two years later.

The Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, will make a speech around 9am which is named the National Day Rally (akin to our Queen’s Speech or America’s State of the Nation speech) before the festivities start. You can expect Carnivals, Bands, concerts, live entertainment, and of course FIREWORKS on an Epic scale. Each year the celebrations follow a particular theme with its own specially commissioned song. This year the theme is “love at first light” in recognition of the staggering beauty of their Country.

Singaporeans are very proud of their country which is made up of 63 islands and separated from their previous rulers, Malaysia, by the straights of Johor.

Several international pyro display teams will take part at various locations across the country, culminating in the huge National event this year as last the display will centre around the Marina Bay area, home of the fireworks for the next two year when it will move to the new “sports hub” when completed hopefully in 2014.

Organised by the aptly named “unusual productions”, this plans to be the most spectacular yet usually a budget of over one million Singapore dollars is set aside for the pyro. Being in third place in the world’s most prosperous nations by “per capita”, we expect the budget to increase dramatically since the country has taken to westernisation and now hosts its own round of the F1 calendar between 21st and 23rd of September. This is the only night race of the Formula One season, which is also hosted at the marina Bay location.

Just to give our readers an idea what to expect, in good old blue peter fashion “here’s one they did earlier”.

If any Singaporeans want to have their own display in the UK, give us a call, we are always here seven days a week and happy to help.

Disco Stu

As we all know fireworks have become a 4th of July tradition in the USA.

Fireworks were used at the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on the 4^th of July in 1777.

Of all American companies, Disney, are possibly the best known company to have embraced fireworks and use over $35,000 worth of fireworks every night.

And of course, in their famous movie logo.

Disney is the only company we are aware of who use perchlorate free fireworks in a bid to reduce smoke on a regular basis due to the amount they use daily, opting for the vastly more expensive nitrogen rich oxidisers rather than perchlorates.  But, after a little research we found a more curious link to Walt Disney’s creativity.

History records the unusual fact that Captain John Smith, of Pocahontas fame (tenuous link to Disney I grant you, but times are hard) was the first man to ignite a firework in the USA.

Way back in 1608 in James town Virginia, Captain Smith arranged a fireworks display, some say this was to impress the American natives with this newly found science believed by historians to be either the Paspahegh or Kiskiak tribe.  Others feel It may possible have been an attempt to scare or warn the locals “don’t mess with us”.

Whatever the reason, fireworks have become a welcome addition to any celebration over the last two millennia, and in that time they changed very little, as our understanding of chemical compositions and some of the newer variants produced by N.A.S.A in space become more widespread, who knows what changes we will see in the future?

Hopefully the sky isn’t the limit and our grandchildren will watch displays in space hundreds of miles across.

Until then, if your Disney fond children want to make their own displays in the comfort of your own home, here a nice link I found…..enjoy – http://www.disney.co.uk/disney-create/fireworks/

This year’s Pacific Independence Day celebrations will include the usual summer picnic in the park with the usual balloons, pony rides and the pre-requisite cotton candy (candy floss to you and I) and the fireworks show but, this years will also incorporate an especially patriotic programme for war veterans and their families.

Organizers will honour the Pacific area men who have fallen in combat and a family walking parade around the park circle wearing patriotic outfits which will be judged and the best representations will be awarded with prizes.

This year’s special event will be held on Sunday 1st July at the City Park on Congress Street and activities will begin at 3:00pm.

Food, in the form of fried taco’s, hot dogs, popcorn, water, lemonade and soda will be available on site.

Activities on the day will include:

• Sand art
• Face painting
• Bling-it body art
• Balloon art
• Pony rides
• Children’s wash off tattoo’s

There is no charge for the parade or the fireworks display but a small fee will be required for some of the other activities.

At 6:00pm, preceded by a professional stilt walker dressed as Uncle Sam will lead the parade and all the remaining visitors to the event will line up and create the unique walking memorial to the nation’s birthday celebrations. Everyone who is attending is being asked to wear red, white or blue in recognition of the celebration of the Independence of the USA and its fallen hero’s.

A permanent granite marker outlines the names of the fallen soldiers and military personnel from the Pacific region of the country with space to continue to add the names of those who continue to lose their lives in conflicts around the World. The Pacific Historical Museum will have an exhibit history including pictures, the branch of service, when and where they died and, in some cases, where they are buried. The museum works on its veterans archive continuously and adds information or pictures as they are acquired.

This is going to be a great event I am sure and will be widely supported. The fireworks start around 2130, have a great night folks.