Plymouth British Fireworks Championship - 2023 dates TBC

As the Hoe is the focal point for watching the Championships, entertainment is provided here throughout both evenings with a fun fair, with thrill rides and live music. Catering facilities are provided on the Hoe and along Madeira Road from early evening on both nights.

The British Firework Championships were started in 1997 by The Event Services Association (TESA), a trade body representing the outdoor events industry in the UK.   

For some time there had been some discussion among professional display companies in the industry about creating an annual competition where they could demonstrate their skills.

After considering a number of venues around the UK, Plymouth became the favoured location as it was felt to provide a natural amphitheatre where large scale pyrotechnics could be used safely and watched from a variety of points around the harbour and Sound. Following discussions with the City Council in the mid-1990s, a partnership agreement was formed to launch the event in 1997.

Since then the Championships have grown hugely and are now recognised as the premier annual display in the UK, attracting tens of thousands to the City each August.

Each year six professional display companies are selected by draw to take part – three on each evening of the event -and every sixth year there is a Champions event when winners from the previous five years (plus the previous Champion-of-Champions winner) return to battle it out for the overall title Champion-of-Champions.