Gibraltar National Day 2009

Gibraltar National Day 2009

National Day Fireworks, Gibraltar, 2009

I fired my first fireworks display in Gibraltar in 2003, and since then have fired there on a pretty much annual basis, whether it’s New Year’s Eve, a summer concert, or the Straits Games (the Olympics for the Straits of Gibraltar!). However, until this year we had never previously had the opportunity to pitch for the biggest firework display that takes place annually in Gibraltar – the National Day fireworks. A joint pitch with Events UnLimited finally opened that door for us, and that was when the hard work really began.

The next few months were spent sizing up and overcoming the numerous challenges involved in producing this display: designing a soundtrack for the show to be played on live radio and TV; designing the show itself for an audience of tens of thousands spread over many miles; organising the export, transport and import of the fireworks; organising the kit to meet us out there; sorting out the necessary permissions with police, fire brigade, port authority etc – thanks Odette!; and getting out there early enough to prepare it all and get it out onto the Detached Mole. No mean feat.

Thanks to all the planning, the whole thing came together pretty smoothly, so thanks to all involved, from the crane drivers at Blands to Odette at Events UnLimited, the chaps at the Port Authority, the team at GBC (thanks for the calmest, clearest cueing to start the show George!), and the team at Patagonia who kept us fed (entrañas) and watered (cañas): – and of course the Alchemy crew. It really was a team effort from start to finish. And the show, it has to be said, was a stunning success, and beautifully captured by Roy McGrail’s stunning photography.

“Magnificent… a fitting end to Gibraltar’s National Day celebrations”, The Gibraltar Chronicle