The 47th edition of the Blanes Fireworks Festival is about to get underway in Blanes, Costa Brava. The dates for the festival this year are the same as last year – the party starts on Saturday, July 22 and ends on Wednesday, July 26. So, what are fireworks lovers going to be treated with this year?
What is Blanes Fireworks Competition about?
The official name for this fantastic event is El Focs de Blanes or Concurs Internacional De Focs and it’s an annual fireworks show organised in the beautiful Catalonian town of Blanes. The festival is part of the town’s Festa Major de Santa Ana de Blanes. The feast runs for eight days with the five-day fireworks festival adding its flavour to the party.
2017 will be the second year in a row the festivalgoers get to enjoy five days’ worth of fireworks. During Spain’s financial troubles, the competition cut to four days but unsurprisingly, the audiences wanted more. So, last year the competition got back its fifth date.
As mentioned, the fireworks competition will be in its 47th year in 2017, with the first competition having started the tradition in 1971. The long history of Blanes and fireworks actually dates even further than that – first references to fireworks in the town date all the way back to 1891.
Blanes Fireworks Competition 2017
So, for five nights in July, the best pyrotechnic companies around the world compete for the coveted Town of Blanes Trophy. The residents and visitors flock to the shoreline to witness rockets and firecrackers being launched from sa Palomera, which is a large rock separating the town’s two beaches.
Different pyrotechnic groups from around the world will participate in the festival. One of the confirmed performers each year is the winner of last year’s competition. In 2017, Pyrotècnica Hermanos Ferrández will return as last year’s champion. Check out the clip below and you can understand why the company took the top spot.
The shows start at 10.30pm every night. But you definitely want to start making your way at least an hour before since the crowds are quick to find the best spots early on. In 2013, the opening night had around 80,000 visitors flocking to find a top spot! That’s nearly double the town’s population so you can understand that it can get a little crowded. Naturally, the weekend is the busiest day, so you might want to check out the Monday or Tuesday show instead.
There are quite a few rules about the displays and all groups have to carefully organise their fireworks show. One of the unique features of the Blanes Fireworks Competition is how it utilises the water – each team must somehow make use of the water surrounding the rock. The shows need to last between 20 to 24 minutes so there is plenty of excitement to see.
Getting involved with Blanes Fireworks Competition 2017
The town of Blanes is located in the beautiful Costa Brava coastline and there is plenty to see aside from the displays. However, the hotels nearby fill up quick so you need to book early to avoid disappointment.
If you can’t make it to the fireworks show, you can always create your own display at home. Check out our huge fireworks offers in the Fireworks Crazy store and impress your neighbours with Blanes-inspired fireworks.
