Big Bang on a Budget: How to Put On a Show-Stopping NYE Display for Under £200

If there’s one night of the year that deserves fireworks, it’s New Year’s Eve. And the good news is that you don’t need to spend silly money to create something that actually feels like a display, not just a token spark in the dark.

People are watching their budgets a bit more at the moment, fair enough, but NYE fireworks don’t have to be a luxury. With the right mix of fireworks, some sensible sequencing and a bit of showmanship, you can put on a display that looks properly thought through — all without going over the £200 mark.

What follows is a full, ready-to-fire line-up: fountains, mines, mid-level cakes, and two big crowd-stealers that make the whole thing feel like an event. Everything here comes straight from EpicFireworks.com, and — crucially — it all works together. No dead spots, no odd transitions, just a well-paced show that builds, moves, and finishes with a flourish.

What You’ll Be Working With

The idea here is simple: put together a display that has a beginning, middle and end. A bit like a story, but with glitter and noise. You want a warm-up, some build, a few surprises, and then a finale that makes people turn to you and say, “Alright, that was actually brilliant.”

Here’s the line-up.

Silver Fountain 

Approx. duration: ~30–45 seconds
Effect style: Silver spray, steady height, constant sparkle
The Silver Fountain is your gentle opener. Nothing frantic or shouty — just a clean, classy shimmer that gets everyone out of the house and into the garden. Think of it as clearing your throat before you start singing. It sets the tone without stealing the show.
Epic Price: £9.96
See Silver Fountain in Action

Gold Rush Mines

Approx. duration: ~30–40 seconds
Effect style: Fountains that kick into mines with star volleys
Before the fountain’s done its job, set off the Gold Rush Mines to snap the attention upward. Mines always feel like a bit of a magic trick: quiet one second, then bang — a tall column of colour. It’s a brilliant bridge from ground effects to aerial action, and for the price it earns its place.
Epic Price: £9.96
See Gold Rush Mines in Action

Sorcery 12 Shot

Shots: 12
Approx. duration: ~20–30 seconds
Effect style: Crackling mines, green/purple bursts, gold palm finale
Sorcery is a tidy little showpiece. Quick, punchy, confidently bright. It’s a lovely pace-setter just before you get into the mid-level cakes. That gold palm finish is one of those little moments that makes people applaud even when they didn’t plan to.
Price: £14.94
See Sorcery in Action

The Laser Quartet (All £6.96 Each)

These four are the secret to turning a “nice little display” into a proper run of mid-show action. Each lasts around 30 seconds, fire 36 shots, all have different personalities, and when you use them in sequence they add that sense of momentum — the feeling that things are building up to something. Or you can fire them in tandem to really start to pick up the pace and excitement.

Laser Ice 36 Shot

Duration: ~29 seconds
Effect style: Cool glitters, red-tipped comets, strobing accents
A cool, crisp opener for the Laser run. It’s like the clean gulp of the night air before midnight hits. Smooth colours, tidy height, and a nice way to shift from the mines into the actual cakes.
See Laser Ice in Action

Laser Fire 36 Shot

Duration: ~32 seconds
Effect style: Whistling comets, falling leaves, crackles
Laser Fire brings the first bit of proper energy. The whistles cut through the garden chatter, and the falling leaves effect always gets people looking twice. It’s your “we’re warming up now” cake.
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Laser Duel 36 Shot

Duration: ~35 seconds
Effect style: Pink stars, crackling tails, spinning effects
Laser Duel adds bright colour and movement without repeating what the others have already done. Pink stars might sound dainty, but they pop nicely against a night sky. It’s a great mid-run variation.
See Laser Duel in Action

Laser Cannon 36 Shot

Duration: ~28 seconds
Effect style: Comets, whistles, crackling finale volleys
This one feels like a proper lead-in to a big cake. It doesn’t rush, but it doesn’t dither either. A neat, confident “right, here we go” before the main event.
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The Heavy Hitters

These two are what give your display proper backbone. You can run one at a time or both together, depending on how dramatic you want your finale. But if you want the full NYE moment — the sort people talk about the next morning — you pair them.

Wild One 81 Shot — £54.96

Shots: 81
Duration: ~37 seconds
Effect style: Spinners, dragon eggs, horsetails, falling leaves, bouquet finale
The Wild One is everything you want from a mid-size NYE cake: busy, colourful, varied and well-paced. It changes effects often enough that nobody zones out. It looks far more expensive than it is, which is always handy.
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Spartan 100 Shot — £89.98

Shots: 100
Duration: ~35 seconds
Effect style: Big aerial bursts, fan patterns, chunky tails
The Spartan is your finale. Or, if you’re feeling extravagant, your second finale. Wide spread, strong noise, proper sky-filling bursts — the sort of barrage that makes your neighbours remember your display better than their own.
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New Year's Eve Fireworks Budget Check

Here’s how it all stacks up:

• Silver Fountain — £9.96

• Gold Rush Mines — £9.96

• Sorcery 12 Shot — £14.94

• Laser Ice — £6.96

• Laser Fire — £6.96

• Laser Duel — £6.96

• Laser Cannon — £6.96

• Wild One 81 Shot — £54.96

• Spartan 100 Shot — £89.98

Total: £207.64

OK, ok, we know this is just over the £200 budget so to hit that point, drop one or two Laser cakes (doesn’t matter which — they’re all solid).

How to Run the Display (The Not-So-Secret Trick)

A display isn’t just the fireworks — it’s the order. If you light the big stuff too early, you end up with a show that fizzles out like a bad New Year’s resolution. The right sequence gives even a modest budget real presence.

Here’s the flow:

1. Silver Fountain
   Sets the mood, buys you 30 seconds while people settle.

2. Gold Rush Mines
   Sharp lift in height and energy.

3. Sorcery 12 Shot
   A neat little burst of colour before the mid-section.

4. Laser Ice → Laser Fire → Laser Duel → Laser Cannon
   Up to two minutes of packed mid-show action. Enough variety that nobody feels like they’re watching the same cake on repeat.

5. Wild One 81 Shot
   Your “proper NYE” moment.

6. Spartan 100 Shot
   The sky-filler. The closer. The one that makes you grin.

This whole run gives you several minutes of in-the-air action which is long enough to feel like a real show, but not so long that your guests start fiddling with their phones. You can layer the fireworks for a shorter, higher impact display, or back to back them for a longer display that builds to a big finish.

Three Useful Tips You’ll Actually Use

• Brick the base.
  One brick on each side of a cake stops wobble. Wobble is the enemy. Nobody wants a cake trying to escape.

• Angle slightly into the wind.
  Not a full lean — just a polite tilt. Helps drift go the right way.

• Use a paving slab for the big cakes.
  Keeps them level, protects your grass, and stops that moment where someone says, “Is it meant to lean like that?”

FAQ

Do I need a huge garden for Spartan or Wild One?

You do need sensible distance. If your space is tight, run the mid-size cakes and swap the Spartan for one of our other great garden friendly fireworks.

Can I fire all four Laser cakes at once?

You can, but they’re better used as pacing. If you want a “noise wall” moment, you could fire two side by side.

Will this annoy the neighbours?

No one wants to start the new year on a bad note with the neighbours so make sure you give them a polite heads-up and you’ll be fine. You could even invite them around for the show.

What should I add to my fireworks display to make it even better?

If you're going to push the budget there's a whole world of options to choose from. But if it was down to us we'd be throwing some packs of sparklers into our basket so everyone can feel a part of the show. Plus, we'd be looking at adding a rocket pack or two into the mix to give the show even more wow factor.

Looking for more easy and impressive options for your New Year's Eve fireworks display?

Here at Epic Fireworks, we’re your go-to for everything you need to put on an awesome display. 

Our DIY New Year's Eve firework display packs come with everything you need to create a stunning show, with easy-to-follow instructions to help you fire like a pro. Plus, our fireworks are up to 5 times more powerful than supermarket fireworks so you'll be getting more bang for your buck, literally!

Shop our full range of fireworks today