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London's New Year's Eve Fireworks
Fireworks over London Eye as part of the multi-sensory New Year's 2013–2014 display
Genre	New Year's Eve event
Date(s)	31 December/1 January
Begins	20:00 (GMT)
Ends	00:45 (GMT)
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Victoria Embankment, South Bank and River Thames
Inaugurated	2000
Founder	Mayor of London
Most recent	2020–21 (2021)
Next event	2021–22 (2022)
Attendance	100,000 (2019–20)
Budget	£3.4 million (2019–20)
Website	https://www.london.gov.uk/nye

London New Year’s Eve Fireworks, a New Year's Eve firework display, is celebrated along the Victoria Embankment and South Bank areas of the River Thames where the London Eye and Big Ben are situated. The countdown is accompanied by the chimes of Big Ben, and a digital countdown timer projected onto the Shell Centre. The fireworks are launched off the London Eye and from barges in the River Thames at midnight. The display is organised by Jack Morton Worldwide, with Titanium Fireworks responsible for the pyrotechnics. Music mix and sound design for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 displays was created by On The Sly Audio Production.

History

2000–05

In the first New Year's Eve fireworks display over the skies in London in December 1999 to celebrate the year 2000, it was estimated by the BBC that about 3 million people turned up around the Thames to watch the fireworks display. A "river of fire" was planned to accompany the fireworks display, but failed to make an impact. A fireworks display was planned during 2000 to celebrate 2001, but was cancelled in November due to a dispute between then-Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and the London Underground. Similar disputes also occurred, causing displays to be cancelled for both the 2001–02 and 2002–03 celebrations, although approximately 80,000 revellers gathered around Trafalgar Square to celebrate the New Year, as had been a tradition for many years.

After a short three-year hiatus, for the 2003–04 event, there were fireworks though only for three minutes. For the 2004–05 event, in the run-up to midnight, an image of candles was projected onto the Shell Centre as a tribute to the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Also, at midnight, fireworks were launched from the wheel itself for the first time.

2011–12

For the 2011–12 extravaganza, fireworks were fired in a one-off event from Elizabeth Tower, launching from the top of the building outwards above the many spectators and well wishers below, welcoming in the year in which London went on to host the Olympic Games. Fireworks were launched in the shape and colour of the Olympic flag, in a display that lasted approximately eleven minutes compared to being reduced to eight minutes in 2010.

2012–13

The 2012–13 display was based on both the Queen's diamond jubilee and the Olympics. The Queen's Christmas speech was used in the fireworks display for the first time.

2013–14

The theme of the 2013–14 fireworks was "Firsts"; a projection prior to the fireworks featured Mayor of London Boris Johnson talking about the many firsts that have come from the United Kingdom and London itself. He then went on to explain the 2013–14 fireworks would the "world first" multi-sensory fireworks display with fruit flavoured sweets and radio controlled LED bracelets which had previously been used during Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto Tour and the London 2012 Paralympics Closing Ceremony being handed out to revellers when entering the viewing areas. These sweets were as stated in the information leaflet to be eaten prior to the display to "prepare" spectators with the flavours that they were going to experience during the evening. Scented mists and edible flavoured foam were also sprayed throughout the performance.

2014–15

For the 2014–15 display, the designer of the display stated that the fireworks would focus on London being a world-class city and how it can continue its repetition on being one. It was also focused on how the New Year's event in London was special to the public. The 2014–15 display was the subject of controversy as a £10 charge was introduced by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, for tickets to the official viewing areas.

2015–16

For the 2015–16 display, the Mayor of London announced a partnership with UNICEF, as part of an appeal to support children affected by the Syrian civil war. Multiple London and Edinburgh landmarks were lit in blue in support of the campaign.

2016–17

The 2016–17 display focused on the reflections of the past year with themes focusing on Team GB's greatest ever success at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The display also paid homage to Prince, David Bowie and Ronnie Corbett who all died in 2016.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced a partnership with the BBC to film the fireworks in a 360° view.

2017–18

The 2017–18 fireworks display featured a soundtrack dominated by female artists such as Ariana Grande, Little Mix, Annie Lennox, Aretha Franklin, Dua Lipa and Florence Welch which was played to mark the centenary of women being allowed to vote. Big Ben also chimed at midnight amid ongoing repairs. For the first time, the 60 second countdown was only projected from 15 seconds instead of the full 60 seconds due to scaffolding that covered part of the Shell Centre. In addition, the London Eye's capsules also marked the countdown with each of them lighting down from 10 seconds. Ariana Grande's One Last Time was played as part of the soundtrack to the fireworks display with 23 red fireworks to pay tribute to the 23 people who died in the Manchester Arena attack.

2018–19

The fireworks display contained some political imagery relating to Brexit; the theme reflected London's "relationship with Europe", opening with the phrase "London is open" (which has been used by Mayor Sadiq Khan, a notable opponent of the UK's exit from the European Union) spoken in multiple languages, and featured a sequence where the London Eye was lit in the colors of the flag of Europe. Furthermore, songs such as "Stay", "We Are Your Friends" and "Don't Leave Me Alone" were related to the UK's relationship with the EU. This attracted criticism from those who support Brexit, arguing that this was an unnecessary political gesture for a public event. This display was shortened to 10 minutes and 30 seconds and was the first display to go sub-10 minutes since 2009–10.

2019–20

The theme for the 2019–20 display was 'British New Decade', celebrating the new decade. The display featured music and soundbites relating to UEFA Euro 2020 (postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19), where London will be hosting seven games, including the final. The soundtrack was produced by On The Sly Audio Production.

2020–21

On 18 September 2020, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told LBC that the 2020–21 fireworks had been cancelled due to COVID-19, as it would encourage public gatherings discouraged under public health orders and guidance. Khan, as well as the office of the mayor, stated that an alternative event would be announced soon.

The alternative event was revealed to be a surprise drone, light and firework display which featured highlights on events in 2020. It was said to be pre-recorded in secret to prevent any large crowds from gathering, but was actually live.

A countdown was displayed onto The Shard instead of the Shell Centre and the display featured a firework, drone and light display at the Greenwich Peninsula, Tower Bridge, London Bridge and Wembley Stadium with music set to the originally planned fireworks soundtrack.

The display featured homages to the workers in the NHS, Captain Tom's charity walk, the Black Lives Matter movement and also featured soundbites of the video conferencing software Zoom acknowledging working at home during the pandemic.

The event was produced by Jack Morton Worldwide, the fireworks were designed and provided by Titanium Fireworks, the 300 drone lighting show by Sky Magic, the soundtrack by On The Sly Audio Production, London Bridge lighting by LCR, lasers by ER Productions and lighting on the shard by Neg Earth. The lighting was designed by Durham Marenghi.

Themes

Since 2011–12, themes have been introduced with the displays:

Music

Since 2010–11, musical soundtracks have been played during the fireworks. In 2010–11, 2011–12 and 2014–15, BBC Radio 1 provided the soundtrack to the firework displays. In 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–19, Bounce, a music editing company based in London, provided the soundtrack to the displays. The 2019-20 and 2020-21 music mix and sound design was created by On The Sly audio production.

2010–11

Fireworks Soundtracks

2011–12

Fireworks Soundtracks

2012–13

Fireworks Soundtracks

2013–14

Fireworks Soundtracks

2014–15

Fireworks Soundtracks

2015–16

Fireworks Soundtracks

2016–17

Fireworks Soundtracks

2017–18

Fireworks Soundtracks

2018–19

Fireworks Soundtracks

2019–20

Fireworks Soundtracks

2020–21

Fireworks, Drone and Light Show Soundtracks

Broadcast

The fireworks are broadcast on BBC One and BBC News on their annual New Year's Eve programme. In addition, the millennium display was broadcast on the BBC's 2000 Today.

Sky One broadcasts the fireworks, shared with Sky News which has its own coverage of the fireworks, including Edinburgh's Hogmanay as well. ITV runs a special programme from ITV News called ITV News Including New Year Bongs. Other international news channels such as CNN broadcast live coverage of the fireworks.

Since 2018, the BBC has provided full coverage of London's fireworks on YouTube with 360 degrees resolution. Since 2019, Sky News and ITV News have also provided coverage on YouTube.

See also

• New Year Live
• London's New Year's Day Parade
• Edinburgh's Hogmanay
• America's Party on The Las Vegas Strip
• New Year's Eve in Copacabana
• Sydney New Year's Eve
• New Year's Eve in Times Square

References

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• New Year celebrations
• Culture in London
• Observances in the United Kingdom
• Annual events in London