Advance ticket sales are now open!

The time has (finally) come: Tickets for the 2018 International Fireworks Competition are now available! You can purchase them as e-tickets to print yourself directly from the online shop at www.hannover.de/onlineshop, or as paper tickets at the Hanover Tourist Information office at Ernst-August-Platz 8, as well as at all known ticket outlets. “Four of next year’s five teams have never designed a fireworks display for the Herrenhausen Gardens before—I’m particularly excited to see what they come up with. Furthermore, it’s a special honor for the Hanover competition that a team is traveling from ‘the other side of the world’ to participate here with us,” says Hans Christian Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), with delight

An overview of the 2018 schedule and teams:

May 26: Scarpato Pirotecnica from Italy
Founded in Naples in 1784, Antonio Scarpato Sr. moved to Germany with his family in the 1930s to delight audiences with his magnificent fireworks displays. After a short time, he returned to his hometown. There, the next generation took over Scarpato Protecnica and carried on the art of fireworks. In Rimini, the company’s current headquarters, Antonio Scarpato, representing the sixth generation, continues the family tradition to this day with success, quality, artistry, innovation, and respect.

© Christoph Maier / Pyrophotos.com

June 9: North Star Fireworks from Norway
North Star Fireworks is the newcomer on the fireworks scene: the company was founded as recently as 2015. The four current owners were previously involved in some of Norway’s largest professional shows, such as concerts by Jean Michel Jarre, the Tall Ships Races, New Year’s Eve, and many others. The Norwegian company’s style is very emotional and features a high degree of synchronization. North Star Fireworks presented its first show outside of Norway at the 2017 Pyronale in Berlin—with tremendous success! Not only did the audience award the show the “Show of the Day” prize, but the jury also named it the first-place winner.

August 18: Pyro Events Team from Romania
Pyro Events Team was founded in 2006, making it the second-youngest team at this year’s International Fireworks Competition. Pyro Events Team views pyrotechnics as a work of art: from conception and technical challenges to design. They aim to set new standards in pyrotechnics and share their passion for it with the audience. They have impressively demonstrated this, among other things, as winners of the 2016 Pyronale.

September 1: Macedos Pirotecnia from Portugal
Macedos Pirotecnia was founded in 1934 by Joaquim Macedo da Silva and has been a family-run business ever since. They have proven their quality through numerous victories and awards at national and international competitions—from Europe to Africa, from the Americas to Asia. At the 2000 Shanghai International Festival of Musical Fireworks, they were awarded an Excellence Prize. Macedos Pirotecnia also holds a Guinness World Record: in 2006, the Portuguese team set off 66,326 fireworks in eight minutes.

© Pyrophotos.com / Christoph Maier

September 15: Firework Professionals from New Zealand
Firework Professionals has been designing dazzling pyrotechnic displays for nearly forty years—CEO Anthony Lealand is now known as the “grandfather” of New Zealand fireworks. Based in Christchurch, the company designs many shows for official celebrations such as anniversaries, opening ceremonies, and holidays. Firework Professionals has also been admired at many competitions, including the 2006 “International Music and Fireworks Festival” in Shanghai, the 2010 “Flammende Sterne” in Ostfildern, and the 2004 “Festival Intercontinental Feux d’Artifices” in Decazeville.

Tip for fireworks fans
A special gift idea for St. Nicholas Day or Christmas: the season pass for all five dates or the family ticket (valid for one event) for two adults and two children. Both special tickets are available only in the online store and at the Tourist Information office at Ernst-August-Platz 8.

Supporting Program
Before the evening sky over the Herrenhausen Gardens becomes a projection screen for internationally renowned pyrotechnics teams, there is a colorful supporting program. Live music in the Garden Theater and on the rehearsal stage, street performers and buskers, theater performances, and plenty of hands-on activities for children help pass the time for visitors. In 2017, many events sold out well in advance—resulting in a total of around 55,000 guests attending the International Fireworks Competition in the Great Garden.
For anyone who would like to combine a visit to the International Fireworks Competition with an overnight stay in Hanover, the HMTG has put together the “Hanover Explosive” experience package: www.hannover.de/explosiv.
Images for editorial use and additional press materials can be found at www.hannover.de/feuerwerk-presse.