We have fired a number of stunning displays for Sail Royal Greenwich and the Royal Borough of Greenwich since 2012 and 2017 was no exception. Four displays were booked on the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights as a fitting finale to an evening Sail along the River Thames. Firing on the river presents it’s own set of challenges. Booking a barge or firing platform large enough to fit a fireworks display onto, arranging for a tug to tow it and hold it in the correct position when the display is fired, a safety boat (just in case!) and also liaising with the Port of London Authority who police the river and provide information to other river users that the display is going ahead.
We were booked for three shows in Greenwich moored close to the Old Royal Naval College and one night in Woolwich just outside the Woolwich Arsenal. The three Greenwich shows were not to music but the final display in Woolwich was closely choreographed to a mixture of classical music and film scores suitable for the large family audience which had assembled along the riverbank to watch. The Tall Ships began arriving back with more spectators on board and eager to see the show and they created a beautiful backdrop to the fireworks with the shell bursts visible through the lines of the sails. David Tyrrell from the Woodford and Wanstead photographic Society managed to capture the featured photograph which we feel is one of the best fireworks photo’s we’ve had taken – well done David!
Everyone was treated to a magnificent aerial display of fireworks lasting 8 minutes with a befitting red, white and blue finale!