Top Team From the Philippines at the 25th International Fireworks Competition in Hannover

The world-famous competition celebrates its 25th anniversary with top teams from Italy, Spain, Finland, the Philippines and Sweden. Between May and September 2015, the pyrotechnic experts will demonstrate their skills and create amazing sights and sounds against the beautiful backdrop of Herrenhausen Gardens.

Between May and September, respected fireworks artists from all over the world will captivate audiences with displays of spectacular pyrotechnic effects, orchestrated in perfect time to the music. Although there are still six months to go until the competition begins, tickets will go on sale on 17 November, in good time for Christmas presents.

In addition to the four-time winners of the International Fireworks Competition from Sweden, HVG has selected top teams from Italy, Spain, Finland and the Philippines to compete this year. This is the first time that these four teams will take part in the world-famous competition.

As a rule, the first display of the season is performed by the previous year’s winner, but there has been a change of plan for the anniversary year. “The first four displays will be presented by first-class teams that have never appeared here before. The highly popular team from Sweden will be reserved until last. Visitors can look forward to a thrilling anniversary year with fascinating fireworks displays,” promises Hans Christian Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG) which organises the event.

In 2014, a total of more than 51,000 visitors attended the five rounds of the Fireworks Competition in Herrenhausen.

Italy (16 May)

The 25th International Fireworks Competition will kick off on 16 May with a display by PyroEmotions, the Italian team. PyroEmotions is a comparatively new pyrotechnic company that has already made a name for itself on the Italian fireworks scene and delivered numerous successful performances on the international circuit. In 2014, for instance, the Italian pyrotechnicians won first place in the Pyronale in Berlin and were also responsible for the finale of the annual International Fireworks Festival in Malta (30 April 2014). They have also won first prizes at the fireworks festival in Montreal, “The International De Feux Loto-Quebec” (2013), and at the Knokke-Heist Festival in Belgium (2012). The team specialises in innovative fireworks, presented in dynamic and colourful choreographies of a high artistic standard. Displays by PyroEmotions are appreciated for their high quality, the unique design of the pyrotechnic choreographies and a fitting choice of music. The artistic fireworks of the Italian team are in great demand worldwide.

Spain (6 June)

On 6 June, the International Fireworks Competition will present high-ranking visitors from Spain: Ricardo Caballer Estellés and Ricardo Caballer Cardo, the grandson and great-grandson of the founder of Ricardo Caballer SA (which was formed in 1881) will bring with them all the ingredients for a breathtaking display. The pyrotechnic company from Valencia is not only the largest seller of fireworks in its home country, but is also an international player. Ricardo Caballer SA delivers fireworks to five continents and countless theme parks, making it one of the largest fireworks export firms in Spain. The combination of tradition and new technologies has earned the pyrotechnicians numerous prizes and a sound international reputation. The Spaniards also have the knack of appealing to their audiences’ emotions. Their motto is: “Our fireworks are capable of expressing feelings that often cannot be put into words.” Amongst other things, the Spanish team provided fireworks displays as an artistic background for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000) and the Pan American Games (2007 and 2011). It has also been highly successful in competitions, winning for instance the Czech TV Prize at the Ignis Brunensis in Brno (2008) as well as first (2009) and second (2012) place in the “Flammende Sterne” competition in Ostfildern.

Finland (22 August)

After a summer break, the International Fireworks Competition will enter the next round with a true premiere: on 22 August, Suomen Ilotulitus Oy will be the very first Finnish team to take part in the International Fireworks Competition. The company is based in Lohja but also has a branch in Liuyang Hunan, the capital city of the fireworks industry. These pyrotechnic experts are well known throughout Finland as the country’s largest fireworks importer. They also enjoy an excellent international reputation. With more than 60 years’ experience, the company has already set off 10,000 fireworks. Every year, the Finnish pyrotechnicians stage around 200 shows. At Herrenhausen Gardens in August, designer Sami Tammi will demonstrate what he has learned in the course of his work as designer, project manager and pyrotechnician in over 2000 shows all over the globe and over the course of 20 years. The Finnish team’s repertoire ranges from shows for the International Shanghai Music Fireworks Festival (2005), the World Rally Championship in Finland (2010) and competing in the Chelyabinsk International Fireworks Competition, to first prizes at the Yekaterinburg Fireworks Festival in Russia and at the Samobor International Fireworks Festival in Croatia (2012).

The Philippines (5 September)

On 5 September, the International Fireworks Competition will have an exotic touch, when the Philippine team Dragon Fireworks shows what it can do. Dragon Fireworks was the first state-approved producer of pyrotechnic products in the Philippines and is now one of the largest fireworks manufacturers in South-East Asia. Because Philippine fireworks laws prohibit the import of fireworks, the pyrotechnic specialists learned how to create all kinds of fireworks themselves. Dragon Fireworks performed ground-breaking work with enormous skill, creativity and technical competence, producing magnificent and highly distinctive fireworks. The first-class, individual material is also one of the reasons for the success of the Philippine fireworks artists: in 2004, for example, the pyrotechnicians won the Philippine National Fireworks Competition and opened the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in 2005. The team has also won a number of respected national prizes. Dragon Fireworks has repeatedly been commended for its high quality and excellent pyrotechnic production, attributes which are also sure to appeal to visitors to the International Fireworks Competition.

Sweden (19 September)

The 25th International Fireworks Competition will end on 19 September with a show by Göteborgs FyrverkeriFabrik. The Swedish company was founded in 1994 by former rivals Martin Hildeberg and Anders Hållinder and is meanwhile the largest fireworks display company in the whole of Scandinavia. Martin Hildeberg has been sole proprietor of Göteborgs FyrverkeriFabrik since 2013.

Hildeberg, his team and the way in which he presents his fireworks are already familiar and much loved in Hannover: the Swedish artists have already won the International Fireworks Competition on four occasions (2002, 2003, 2004, and 2010). Other placements include second prize at the Pyronale in Berlin (2012) and first prize at the Knokke-Heist Festival in Belgium (2007). The Swedish pyrotechnic artists are also highly successful in their home country and finished in first place in the Swedish Championships of Pyromusicals every single year from 2002 to 2011. The talented pyrotechnicians are already making preparations for the 25th International Fireworks Competition, when they hope to rank amongst the finalists once again.

For everyone who would like to combine a visit to the 25th International Fireworks Competition with an overnight stay in Hannover, HMTG has put together a special themed package entitled “Hannover explosiv”, which also makes a perfect gift.

Competition dates in 2015:

16 May PyroEmotions, Italy

6 June Ricardo Caballer SA, Spain

22 August Suomen Ilotulitus Oy, Finland

5 September Dragon Fireworks, The Philippines

19 September Göteborgs FyrverkeriFabrik, Sweden

Photo above: Dragon Fireworks, the Philippines: ©Dragon Fireworks_Paul Quiambo