An Event Not to Miss: The Macau International Fireworks Display Contest

The 19th Macau International Fireworks Displays Contest will be held on September 15, 22, 25, 29 and October 1 this year at the sea area in front of the Macau Tower.

This year the stylish Wynn Macau will again be the title sponsor for the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest.

This year, together with two fireworks enthusiasts Mr. Lei Ip Fei and Ms. Anita Fung Pou Chu, the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) will publish a book titled “Fireworks Art in Macau” which will introduce, in five sections, the 18-year history of the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. The history and development of fireworks and firecrackers, the art and culture of fireworks, the artistic appreciation of fireworks and a series of artworks (oil on canvas) illustrating fireworks and historic sites in Macau, with the aim to educate the public about the relationship between Macau and the art of fireworks.

With 18 years of history, the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest has gained worldwide recognition for the quality of its participating teams, the scale and the performance standard of the contest. The contest this year features ten teams from the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Chinese Taiwan, Portugal, the Philippines, United States of America, Japan, France and China; each will show off their pyrotechnic wizardry to spectators both from Macau and overseas.

A leading pyrotechnic company in the United Kingdom, Kimbolton Fireworks Limited will surely bring pleasant surprises to the audience as a first timer to the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest.

Hunan Xintiancheng Fireworks Manufacturing Co., Ltd. from Mainland China and Artifices JCO SA. from France are also taking part for the first time. Artifices JCO SA. has outstanding techniques in pyro-melodic shows and is specialized in presenting fireworks shows in story style, with “The Little Prince” as their representative work.

San Tai Fireworks Ind. Co., Ltd. from Chinese Taiwan is no stranger to the fireworks display contest. This team, who won the contest in 2003, has the skills and capacity to challenge the championship this year.

Grupo Luso Pirotecnia from Portugal comprises 5 pyrotechnic companies with branches located around the country. Some branches even have a history of close to a century. The pyrotechnic group is an active participant in worldwide fireworks displays competitions and was the winner of the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest in 1996.

Other participating teams, with their unique techniques and rich experiences in local and international competitions, are sure to bring audiences a colorful and memorable time.

This year again, each participating team is requested to complement their display with music to enthrall the audience with a light and sound spectacular.

To enhance the effect and audience enjoyment, sound systems will be installed at the waterfront of the Macau Tower Outdoor Plaza, at the Macau Tower Street seaside and at the square in front of Kun Iam Statue on Ave. Dr Sun Yat Sen so that the public can enjoy synchronized music to the spectacular displays.

The teams taking part in this year’s contest are: Kimbolton Fireworks Limited from the United Kingdom, Hanwha Corporation from Korea, Five Star Fireworks from Australia, San Tai Fireworks Ind. Co., Ltd. from Chinese Taiwan, Grupo Luso Pirotecnia from Portugal, Starmaker Inc. from the Philippines, Illumination Internationale Ltd. from the United States of America, Marutamaya Ogatsu Fireworks Co., Ltd. from Japan, Artifices JCO SA from France and Hunan Xintiancheng Fireworks Manufacturing Co., Ltd from China.

Each fireworks display will last for approximately 18 minutes, and there will be two displays per evening at 9pm and 10pm.

The organizer will attribute US$17,500 to each fireworks team as subsidy. The winner will receive US$6,000, a trophy and a certificate. First and second runners-up will receive US$3,200, US$1,800, trophies and certificates respectively.

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