Festival of Fireworks

From handheld sparklers to epic 4th of July displays, fireworks are a summertime staple. But the best teams from around the world gather in Montreal, Canada, to battle for the title of most amazing fireworks show. Between July 7 and August 8, bright colors will burst above the city during the Montreal International Fireworks Competition.

The competition is the largest fireworks festival in the world. Since 1985, teams from a total of 28 countries have come to compete for the top trophy, called the Jupiter Award. The tournament is considered the Olympic Games of fireworks. More than 3 million people will enjoy each 30-minute fireworks show set to music. 

Picking a winner is serious business. The 19-person jury is selected from nearly 400 applicants from around Montreal. The judges are trained to evaluate the music, diversity of fireworks, and richness of colors used.  

The dazzling colors of fireworks come from different combinations of metals. “The companies all have confidential recipes for that,” says Martyne Gagnon, director of the festival. Blue is the hardest shade to create. “All the people making nice blues won’t tell you what’s in their recipe,” Gagnon says.

While spectacles like the Montreal Fireworks Competition are safe to attend, people need to be careful around amateur displays. In the U.S., about 10,000 people go to the hospital because of fireworks injuries each year. So make sure to enjoy them safely!