November 2023
Dazzling displays: Where to see the best fireworks around the world
Chief Adventurer at CamperDays shares guide to the best places to enjoy fireworks this New Year’s Eve
The end of the year is approaching and revellers all over the world are looking to kick off 2024 with a bang, and there’s no louder bang than the sound of fireworks soaring into the sky. These kaleidoscopic displays are done differently all around the world, and Max Schmidt, chief adventurer at CamperDays, Europe’s leading camper tour operator, has curated a guide to the most extravagant displays.
Edinburgh Hogmanay, Scotland
Hogmanay, the Scots word for the last day of the old year, is one of the world’s most famous New Year celebrations, attended by hundreds and thousands of people around the world. The firing of the cannon at Edinburgh Castle at the stroke of midnight kicks off the celebration, followed by a vibrant fireworks display.
Niagara Falls, Canada
Canada’s New Year’s Eve celebration is a great one for those looking to tie in a fireworks show with an outdoors adventure. Niagara Falls New Year’s Eve has a variety of special programmes at Niagara Parks to ring in the new year.
Sydney Harbour, Australia
Sydney New Year’s Eve is a highly-regarded event, not just in Australia but around the world, with the city affectionately known as the New Year’s Eve capital of the world. Fireworks are launched from barges in Port Jackson, creating a jubilant halo above iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Porto, Portugal
While December is the coldest month of the year, Porto still enjoys a mild climate of around ten degrees so it’s a great spot for seeing crowd-free firework displays.
Porto’s end-of-year firework displays are some of the best in Europe, and they’re launched over the Douro River and can be seen from all over the city.
Japanese New Year, various towns and cities
The Japanese New Year (正月, shōgatsu) is the most important public holiday in Japan – even bigger than Christmas – meaning a trip to Japan during this time is one of the best opportunities to witness cultural spectacles and rich traditions.
While fireworks aren’t typical for the Japanese New Year – apart from at the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise or Tokyo Disney – the Sagichō Fire Festival, also called the Dondoyaki (左義長), is an event that takes place in many villages and towns on 14 or 15 January. It’s customary to burn all of the New Year’s decorations and pray for good fortune and is a tradition that dates back to the thirteenth century. The Dōsojin Fire Festival in Nozawaonsen and the Sagichō Fire Festival on the coast of Oiso, Kanagawa are particularly special.
Instead, if you’re happy to travel for fireworks later in the year, Japan is known for its centuries old tradition of pyrotechnic displays on the last Saturday in July, over the Sumida river near Asakusa, Tokyo. Close to a million celebrants come to gawk at the newest and most innovative firework displays in the country each year.
*BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67236221)