Fireworks with surprise shapes, new pastel and neon colours and more than 80,000 pyrotechnic effects will make for a dynamite spectacular this Sydney New Year’s Eve.
“Whales, cubes, sunflower shells, whirlwinds and colour-changing fireworks are some of the surprises in store for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve 2021,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
“Every year Foti Fireworks creates the most spectacular and memorable displays across our harbour for everyone to enjoy – they capture the attention of audiences around the globe.”
Regarded as one of the largest and most technologically advanced fireworks shows on earth, a pyrotechnic team of 50 from Foti International Fireworks will launch six tonnes of fireworks across two displays at 9pm and midnight.
Throughout the night, the crew will manage 60 tonnes of equipment, including 25 kilometres of cabling linking 15 computers that will launch the fireworks from 178 firing locations on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, five water-based firing platforms and the four sails of the Sydney Opera House. “The Foti team spend more than eight days getting every firework into position to be launched on the night,” the Lord Mayor said. “I don’t think anyone is going to walk away disappointed!”
At the helm of the operation is fireworks extraordinaire, Fortunato Foti, who will this year celebrate 25 years of creating the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve fireworks displays over Sydney Harbour.
“We normally do between 400 to 500 fireworks shows a year but nothing compares to the exhilaration of creating Sydney’s New Year’s Eve displays,” Fortunato said.
“Creating an event of this scale and being responsible for entertaining millions of people across Australia and around the world is what it’s all about – it’s what drives us each year to do something new, brighter and better.
“This year is no different – taking into consideration the theme of ‘see Sydney shine’, we promise a show that everyone will enjoy, whether they’re watching it around the harbour, at home or online.
“Both the 9pm and midnight displays have been meticulously planned to ensure the fireworks are perfectly synchronised with each show’s specially created soundtrack.”
Fortunato – a seventh-generation pyrotechnician whose family has been making fireworks since 1793 – worked on his first fireworks display when he was 18 years old. Now, he’s enlisted the support of his three children, Elena, Angelina and Salvatore, as well nieces, nephews, brothers and cousins and staff, who are some of the most experienced in the industry to help create the fireworks for this year’s displays.
The 9pm Welcome to Country fireworks display is curated by First Nations artist Blak Douglas. It will feature silhouettes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers projected on the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge while the sky overhead lights up with fireworks in the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
The midnight show will feature bursts of neon, pastel colours, white strobe effects, colour-changing shells and silver spinning fireworks.
More than 25,000 shooting effects will be fired from the top, façade and sides of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and five floating barges will launch 9,000 aerial shells. And an additional 6,000 fireworks will shoot from the tops of the Sydney Opera House sails.
The show will be synchronised to a specially-created soundtrack by electronic music duo The Presets.
Tickets are essential for most vantage points around the harbour. The City of Sydney’s vantage point map has up-to-date information on where you can view the fireworks.
Local residents and the general public attending the City’s vantage points are encouraged to be fully vaccinated, look after one another, wear a mask if you can’t social distance and plan your night.
If you don’t have a vantage point ticket or venue reservation, or are feeling unwell, you are encouraged to stay at home.
For those planning to stay at home, you can see Sydney shine on TV or online. ABC TV will broadcast live from Sydney Harbour at 8.30pm. The 9pm and midnight fireworks will also be live streamed on the official website and on ABC iview.
You can also listen to the exclusive soundtrack at 9pm and midnight on KIIS 1065.
