The sky over the Macau Tower will become a battlefield this month – a shining battle of fireworks with ten countries and regions fighting for victory.

The 22nd Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, organised by the Macau Government Tourist Office, will be held on September 11, 18, 22, 25 and October 1. Each display will last for approximately 18 minutes, with two displays every evening at 9pm and 10pm, respectively.

Most of this year’s competitors have fought it out in previous editions but the competition welcomes three newcomers this year. Teams from Britain, Taipei, the Philippines, Australia, Portugal, Korea, Japan, France, Italy and the mainland are featured.

Sound systems will again be installed at the waterfront of the Macau Tower Outdoor Plaza and at the square in front of Kun Iam Statue, on Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen so that the public can enjoy the soundtrack synchronised to the spectacular show. Radio Macau will also broadcast the shows live on FM100.7.

Learning curve
Philippines contestants Platinum Fireworks join the competition for the third time. Receiving an invitation to be part of the contest is always special, even as second runner-up last year.

“Just like any other participants, we want to get the Championship Trophy this time. More importantly, our goal is to give a safe and a magical experience for everybody,” the company’s president Joel Santaana told Macau Business.

“It is very important for us to have international experience and to win this contest because we get to prove our worth in pyrotechnics shows, more importantly in pyromusicals.

“We also learn a lot from the other competing companies and [we can] bring this back home to improve [our quality] and allow our people to experience international calibre shows.”

East versus West
Britain’s Pyro 2000 Fireworks has also been invited to be part of the competition for the third time. In 2000, Pyro 2000 grabbed second prize but the team is eager to improve on that performance.

“Our main goals for this year are to put on a display that is both visually entertaining and musically appealing to the audience. It would also be nice to improve on our last visit and maybe get into the top three,” said team representative Graham Wilkinson.

What makes Macau the biggest challenge in the world for the contestants is the city’s unique mix of cultures, says Mr Wilkinson.

“We feel it is very important to take part in this festival as it is the only festival that really has the ‘East meets West’ feel about it. As there is quite a varied selection of teams from around the world, this makes it more of a challenge,” he said.

Pyroart up from Down Under
Australian Infinity Pyrotechnic took part in the competition in 2008 and left carrying only good memories. This year, the company is shooting for a victory.

“The experience we gained from this unique competition in the first year was immeasurable. All displays are important to us, but the Macau International Fireworks Display Competition is one of a kind,” said Australian Infinity representative Sandy Corbett.

“All of the competitors are of a very high standard, and we are very proud to be a part of the competition once again. Our main goals this year are to showcase our pyrotechnic talents, our pyromusical show design techniques, our advanced technical use of the FireOne Digital Firing System, and to go home with a trophy.”

France’s Sodip Pyrotechnie also return, following their debut in 2003. The team regards Macau as an opportunity to test new products and music.

Hometown heroes
Together with newcomers from Korea and Italy, Chinese team Panda Fireworks Group will have a chance to thrill spectators. The Guangzhou group aims to promote Chinese fireworks and displays at an international environment.

“Our main goal is to show the technical level of Chinese modern fireworks displays, the newest Chinese fireworks products and manufacturing techniques in the process of fireworks design layout and display shows. We publicise the art of Chinese culture,” team creative director Xuegeng Meng told Macau Business.

Expect a very Chinese fireworks display from Panda, inspired by the classic love story “The Cowherd and the Girl Weaver”.

“The ‘Qixi Festival’ has something to do with this love legend and it has become the Chinese Valentine’s Day,” he said.

“There was a Chinese group that used it [in Macau] in the past two years. However, our work is unique and we have an exclusive take on the plot design, music performance, product and live explanation. We are sure it will draw new feelings from the audience.”

A big bang
The Macau International Fireworks Display Contest began in 1989 with five participating teams. In the past six editions it has grown to an eight-team format with two different teams putting on a show every night.

More than 100 teams have had the chance to take part, a prestigious achievement since places are by invitation only.

“We must check their profiles to see whether they have enough experience in international fireworks displays as well as participation in large-scale events, if they have won any international fireworks competitions, their detailed history and background,” a spokesman from the tourism board explains.

This year’s contest will be more interactive than ever before. Telecommunications company CTM will introduce an SMS game and residents can vote for their favourite team after each night’s displays in return for the chance to win tickets to the Macau Grand Prix.

Money to fire
The Macau Government Tourist Office is again providing a subsidy and covering some expenses for each of the Fireworks Display Contest’s participating teams, but participants say they spend much more ensuring they win applause and the judges’ votes.

The tourism bureau’s budget is MOP8 million (US$1 million), which includes a US$20,000 fireworks production subsidy for each participating team. Shipping is also supported, as well as the team’s travel and accommodation expenses.

Mainland entrants Panda Fireworks estimates the total investment exceeds US$100,000. “We use the technique of chip-timing on some shells that have special effects, which make the products cost double that of regular products,” said team creative director Xuegeng Meng.

“In addition, in order to achieve the exact composition of the picture, we have specially made a lot of brackets for this contest and added a container to transport them.”

The Philippines team will allot an additional US$10,000 for the event to cover “materials and other pyrotechnics effects to be able to become at par or have the edge over other participants,” says Platinum Fireworks boss Joel Santaana.

Time is money and other teams expressed that a lot of preparation work goes into their participation.

Infinity Pyrotechnic’s Sandy Corbett said the company has been working on its display since the invitation came through in February. “Our artistic team has spent many hours in preparation to make sure that our display is the best of the competition,” she said.

“A lot of time is invested in the development of a display of this calibre; from preparing documents, to product and music selection, to the programming of the display. It is a lot of work.”

The teams battle it out for a cash prize of US$8,000 for first, while prizes to the first and second runners-up are US$4,000 and US$2,500 but, just like the money and time invested, the taste of victory is priceless.

The line-up

Britain and Taipei
September 11
Established in 1996, Pyro 2000 has participated in various fireworks displays and competitions around the world. The team staged a fireworks display for the closing ceremony of the World Cup Cricket Final in 2007 and pocketed the second prize at the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest 10 years ago.

Wan Dar Fireworks is a veteran at the Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. The team first took part in 1989 and won third prize two years ago.

Philippines and Australia
September 18
Platinum Fireworks from the Philippines and Infinity Pyrotechnic from Australia will compete for higher honours this year. Platinum was the second runner-up last year and Infinity took part in 2008, finishing ninth.

Portugal and South Korea
September 22
Pirotecnia Lanhelas from Portugal were better known as Gaspar Fernandes & Irmão before 2008 and have taken part three times, winning second prize in 1989.

Woori Fireworks makes its Macau debut this year. It has taken part in several domestic and international fireworks competitions, including the display at the jointly held Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002.

Japan and France
September 25
Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks from Japan won the championship in 2004, 2005 and last year, as well as the second prize in 2008. Their unique technique that produces perfectly spherical firework shells is one of their signatures.

Sodip Pyrotechnie from France, with a history of 60 years, uses cutting edge technology to design and display fireworks patterns accompanied by classical or robust music. The team came fourth in 2003.

Italy and the mainland
October 1
Both teams from Italy and the mainland are taking part in Macau’s fireworks contest for the first time. Amazingly, Protecnica Morsani celebrates its 130th anniversary this year.

Panda Fireworks Group staged the fireworks display to mark the 10th anniversary of the Macau SAR, took part in the fireworks extravaganza at 2008 Beijing Olympics and has won Sweden’s Stockholm International Pyromusical Competition.

Ricardo Andorinho  Business Developer | MB Intelligence Consultancy Limited (“MBi”)

andorinho@mb-intelligence.com