Epic Fireworks Blog

Posts Tagged ‘UK’

WHAT: British Firework Championships 2013
WHERE: The Hoe, Plymouth
WHEN: Tuesday 13th August 2013 and Wednesday 14th August 2013
OPENING TIMES: 6.00pm – 11:00pm

It started back in 1996, where each year six professional fireworks companies take part in the British Firework Championships – and it’s back.

The world-renowned British Fireworks Championships will once again be taking place at The Hoe – Plymouth’s jaw dropping waterfront on Tuesday 13th August and Wednesday 14th August 2013.

This year’s fireworks show will see the return of the ‘Champions of Champions’ competitions after the unfortunate weather conditions halted the competition last year.

Entertainment will begin on the Heart FM stage from around 6.00pm and the first fireworks display will start at approximately 9.30pm as dusk descends.

The competing teams are as follows:

Phoenix Fireworks - Tuesday 13th August 2013

Selstar Fireworks - Tuesday 13th August 2013

1st Galaxy Fireworks - Tuesday 13th August 2013

&

Star Fireworks - Wednesday 14th August 2013

MLE Pyrotechnics - Wednesday 14th August 2013

Pendragon Fireworks - Wednesday 14th August 2013

This year, for the first time, there will be an extra prize of £750 for ‘innovation’. The criteria are that each competitor is invited to submit a brief description (which could include images) of a single aspect of their firework display which may be considered for the new innovation prize.

Innovation could be in any of the following forms:

A. Product design.
B. Display design.
C. Firing systems and techniques.
D. Rigging systems.
E. Safety aspects.

Submissions will be evaluated by a technical committee including the event organisers and the adjudicator and the prize will be awarded by them on the basis of the submission and, if applicable, the execution of the innovative aspect during the preparation, rigging or during the display itself. The Committee’s decision will be final.

This awesome family friendly event has loads to offer throughout the day too. There are loads of things to do and see, from boat trips around the famous Naval Dockyards to visit some of the City’s tourist attractions, including the National Marine Aquarium, the Wheel of Plymouth and the world-famous Smeaton’s lighthouse.

A couple of weeks ago, I touched upon advertising in my piece about the old firework companies and their history. However, having been completely blown away by the recent ‘Coke Zero’ advertisement, I would like to know if there has ever been a TV advertisement for fireworks?

I am not referring to adverts which include fireworks as we have featured these on our firework blog a number of times, but an actual firework manufacturer/supplier who has made an advert in the UK?

In the new ‘Coke’ advert (coke has regularly featured fireworks in their advertising campaigns) the scene is a cinema theatre with rows of seats packed with people waiting for their film to start when up pops the man from the concessions stand, chatting about the new taste of ‘Coke Zero’ which they say is as tasty as regular coke and therefore cannot be distinguished because of its usual saccharine after taste. He gives them a bit more ‘schmooz’ and then tells the captive audience that they are all drinking the new tastier Coke Zero as he removes the double up cup to reveal this, the film cuts back to the audience who are revealing to their obvious astonishment that this is the case.

So I got thinking (I know, steady on) maybe the firework manufacturers should have a ‘fire-off’ to determine the best in each category but with a team of people who are simply lovers of fireworks and not connected with the industry or any particular brand or product. It’s the only way to get a genuinely un-biased view. What do you think ?

Even Loyd Grossman can’t stop thinking about epic fireworks – the biggest fireworks shop in the UK.