The Fireworks Channel

Welcome Video! Short and Sweet. Fireworks Extravaganza
Fireworks Extravaganza - video powered by Metacafe I have been adding more fireworks videos to the new FIREWORKS CHANNEL PLAYER. Since the player with the playlist does not fit in this blog, go to it by clicking HERE. VALENCIA, SPAIN - A Hot Spot of Amazing Fireworks About to Explode - March 15th through 19th, 2007 Las Fallas Valencia Spain Does the smell of gunpowder excite you? Does the sight of flames make you smile? Do you harbor pyrotechnic urges that are only socially acceptable on the Fourth of July? Well, Las Fallas de Valencia is your kind of event--a loud, smoky, rowdy fiesta where the whole town is literally set ablaze! Las Fallas is undoubtedly one of the most unique and crazy festivals in Spain (a country known for unique and crazy festivals). What started as a feast day for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has evolved into a 5-day, multifaceted celebration of fire. Valencia is usually a quiet city with a population of a half-million, but the town swells to an estimated three million flame-loving revelers during Las Fallas. Las Fallas literally means "the fires" in Valencian. The focus of the fiesta is the creation and destruction of ninots--huge cardboard, wood and plaster statues--that are placed at over 350 key intersections and parks around the city today. The ninots are extremely lifelike and usually depict bawdy, satirical scenes and current events (lampooning corrupt politicians and Spanish celebrities is particularly popular). They are crafted by neighborhood organizations and take about six months to construct (and often cost upwards of US$75,000). Many ninots are several stories tall and need to be moved into position with cranes. The ninots remain in place until March 19th, the day known as "La Crema." Starting in the early evening, young men with axes chop holes in the statues and stuff them with fireworks. The crowds start to chant, the streetlights are turned off, and all of the ninots are set on fire at exactly the stroke of midnight. Over the years, the local firemen, called "bomberos," have devised unique ways to protect the town's buildings from torching along with the ninots, such as by neatly covering storefronts with fireproof tarps. And each year, one of the ninots is spared from destruction by popular vote and exhibited in the local Museum of the Ninot along with the other favorites from years past. Traveler and pyromaniac Janet Morton says, "The scene at Las Fallas is extremely cathartic and difficult to describe, but resembles a cross between a bawdy Disneyland, the Fourth of July and the end of the world!" The origin of Las Fallas is a bit murky, but most credit the fires as an evolution of pagan rituals that celebrated the onset of spring and the planting season. In the sixteenth century, Valencia used streetlights only during the longer nights of winter. The street lamps were hung on wooden structures, called parots, and as the days became longer the now-unneeded parots were ceremoniously burned on St. Joseph's Day. Even today the fiesta has retained its satirical and working-class roots, and the well-to-do and faint-of-heart of Valencia often ditch out of town for Las Fallas. Besides the burning of the ninots, there is a myriad of other activities during the fiesta. During the day, you can check out the extensive roster of bullfights, parades, paella contests and beauty pageants around the city. Spontaneous fireworks displays occur everywhere during the days leading up to "La Crema", but another highlight is the daily mascletá which occurs in the Plaza Anyuntamiento at exactly 2pm. When the huge pile of firecrackers is ignited, the ground literally shakes for the next ten minutes. . . . This next photo is from the fireworks company Fireworks for Africa taken during a competition in Canada last year. I almost forgot, check out a 360-degree panorama VR photo of the Sidney New Year 2007 Fireworks Celebration.

The year 2007 is just a few weeks away and throughout the world people love to celebrate in many festive ways. Fireworks many times become the focal point of these celebrations. In Australia, the New Year hits them earlier than in most other countries. The Fireworks Celebration in Sidney is one of the most important in this regard. Take a peek HERE.

By the way, THE FIREWORKS CHANNEL has added a new feature and is inviting people to upload high quality fireworks footage having to do with new year celebrations. It would be cool to have footage of Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, Hong Kong and, of course, Australia (or any other plafe for that matter).

Check out the UPLOAD PAGE to find out more about what we are looking for.

I hope to keep sparks flying in this blog as often as I can. Enjoy the spectacular fireworks videos below. So dive into those video screens; dont be afraid. You'll be surprised by what is to be found. If after checking out what is here you want to explore further the world of international fireworks, visit THE FIREWORKS CHANNEL main site. I have short videos for most countries listed there. Soon I´ll have fireworks from the country of Malta, considered among the best in the world. Also, here is a wonderful photo by Robert Burch of the Loy Kratong Festival in Thailand. I´ll be posting links in the next days of some wonderful 360 degree VR photos of different international fireworks hot spots.
Brunel 200 - video powered by Metacafe POEM - "Fireworks" BANG! There goes another one, Screaming as it goes. It's getting high, Up in the sky, And fizzle - there she blows! WHOOSH! Up high above the house, Behind a trail of sparks. Yellow, orange, Red and white, Exploding in the dark!