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Best Fireworks New Years Eve 2024

Firework Displays, Top Cities, Most Spectacular Fireworks, Live Streaming, Webcams

There's something most definitely primeval about the fascination we have with fire, and few things demonstrate this more vividly than the fascination with fireworks. Originating way back to China in the 7th century, the firework display has long been an excellent way of literally taking our obsession with fire to the skies.

In an age of neon lighting, spectacularly lit skyscrapers and vivid light shows, the good old traditional firework has yet to lose it's appeal, taking centre stage at a number of prominent events across the global calendar - the 4th July in the United States, Guy Fawkes celebrations in the UK (it's where I first learned the difference between a rocket and a Roman candle) and of course Chinese New Year in Hong Kong and across Asia.

Nowhere is this more prominent than at new year though, and new years eve remains one of very few truly global festivals, where the whole world, albeit across a staggered timeline, joins in with the same party, marking the end of the old and beginning of the new virtually in unison. In terms of traditions, this is probably about as old and established as it gets - the format details vary greatly across geographical and cultural boundaries, but one constant that remains throughout is our friend the firework.

So where should you head to to witness the most spectacular fireworks displays this new years eve. I'll start with the most obvious - the enormous display centred on the harbour Bridge in Sydney, an epic cavalcade of pyrotechnics that draws travellers from far and wide across the globe.

I was fortunate enough to visit Sydney on new years eve way back in 1997 (feels like another lifetime!) and can confirm it's a site to behold, an entire event that builds across the evening towards the midnight climax. It has grown year on year so the version people are watching on NYE 2023-2024 will be way beyond the one I saw, guess I'll have to head back there soon!

Elsewhere, the Scottish capital Edinburgh makes great use of the spectacular setting of the castle on the hill dominating the skyline to launch a magnificent display that can be seen for miles around. Not too far south, another fantastic backdrop awaits in London, where the River Thames, Tower Bridge, the London Eye and Houses of Parliament make up one of the most dramatic scenes anywhere in the world as the fireworks erupt on the stroke of midnight.

Elsewhere in Europe, there used to be a great display centres on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but they've forsaken that in recent years on cost and safety grounds for an apparently underwhelming light show, sop we recommend instead you head to Berlin, where the Brandenburg Gate provides the background for the pyrotechnics.

So who has the single biggest display? Sydney held the title for many years, but this all changed on new years eve 2019 with the new pretender Dubai taking the official Guinness World record with and incredible display that saw almost half a million fireworks launched in a period of only 6 minutes!

The scenery there includes of course the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, so the setting could scarcely be any more impressive. Never one to be easily outdone, near neighbour Abu Dhabi have been gradually improving their own fireworks each year, so are another excellent option for NYE 2024.

Across the Atlantic then to the United States of America and northern neighbour Canada, and while you might expect New York to be the place to go, they prefer to focus their main party on the famous and iconic Ball Drop in Times Square, and although there are fireworks launched over the Hudson River that can be viewed across a wide area our top recommendation is actually to head west to Las Vegas, where the city's reputation for bright light, glitz and glamour won't leave you disappointed with a display that takes off form the rooftops of the casinos centred on the famous Vegas Strip.

The other big cities of the US don't like to miss out either though, and honorable mentions must go to the Navy Pier display over Lake Michigan in Chicago, the Penn's Landing fireworks over the Delaware river in Philadelphia and the huge and impressive display in Dallas, where the Texan reputation for doing everything big certainly holds true.

So that's our Top 10 (technically 11 with NYC in there, but they only really sneaked in by default) and we've got most of the globe covered quite will I reckon. If none of these appeal or are practical for you though, one thing you can guarantee come new years eve is that you won't be far away from the nearest fireworks! check out the rest of listings on our site while you're here, we have over 100 top cities listed.

Happy New Year!

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