2023 Winner

Austria wins the 31st International Fireworks Competition 2023!

“Hello Europe”—under this motto, Germany and four of our neighboring countries were guests at the 31st International Fireworks Competition in the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen from May through September.

Pyrovision fired its way to victory on the final night with its spectacular show. Congratulations to Austria! We congratulate H.C. Pyrotechnics from Belgium on second place and Brezac Artifices from France on third place.

With its sensational circus show in the skies above Herrenhausen, Pyrovision not only thrilled the audience but also won over the 10-member expert jury. The Austrian team thus prevailed over the teams from Germany, France, Switzerland, and Belgium. With the sky as the world’s largest tent, the Baroque garden as the ring, and the Austrian team as the stars of the evening, circus artists brought the pyrotechnic spectacle to life and let their imaginations run wild in conjunction with a dramatic and comedic audio drama. This is the team’s third time competing. In 2006, they took third place; in 2011, second place; and today, they stand at the top of the podium.

“After a spectacular anniversary year for Germany’s oldest fireworks competition in 2022, the entire jury wondered: What could possibly top that in terms of quality? But they were far off the mark. By focusing on the theme ‘Hello Europe’ and inviting top pyrotechnic talent from across Europe, the organizers created a truly exciting and closely contested competition at a very high level. ‘Even after the second participant’s display, we jurors sensed that our judging would once again be very close and demanding,’ says jury spokesperson Georg Alef, summarizing the 31st competition.”

The winning team: Pyrovision

Since 1996, the team led by Managing Director and show designer Christian Czech has been wowing audiences not only at home and abroad, but also in film and television. Based in Salzburg, the company organizes large-scale fireworks displays, designs special pyrotechnic effects, and creates choreographies of fire, form, and color—and with great success: they have already participated in international competitions, winning first place at the French “Nuits de Feu” festival in 2008.

Pyrovision 2023 at the Rohr Feuerwerke site — Pyrovision 2023 at Rohr Fireworks

Summary of the 31st Fireworks Season

All five events from May through September were sold out. A total of 57,500 guests enjoyed the various fireworks displays in the Großer Garten, with the weather remaining fine throughout. The diverse supporting programs held before each show brought the region’s unique charm to the Großer Garten with themed stilt walkers, live music on stage, and local delicacies.

“The International Fireworks Competition is not only a spectacular event, but also an ambassador for Hannover, Lower Saxony, and Germany. Here in the beautiful Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, fireworks culture is celebrated in a truly unique way. It is an honor to host this competition and to welcome guests and the best teams from around the world to our city,” said Hans Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH.

Save the Date: We’re looking forward to 2024!

Following today’s awards ceremony, Hans Nolte has already provided a preview of the upcoming season. We are looking forward to the 32nd season, featuring five spectacular shows from Malaysia, Estonia, India, Lithuania, and Slovakia:

May 25, 2024 Malaysia

June 8, 2024 Estonia

August 17, 2024 India

September 7, 2024 Lithuania

September 14, 2024 Slovakia

The ticket shop is now open: