iFawkes to ensure dazzling display

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to turn out to watch the Virgin Money Firework Display on Sunday evening.

And designer Keith Webb is planning for the traditional send off to the Edinburgh International Festival to be the most impressive yet.

For the first time he is combining automated techniques with manual methods to make the choreography of the display even more precise. Until this year all the fireworks have been set off manually in accompaniment to the live orchestra.

This year, some automated fireworks will be used to fit with particularly fast or complex sections of the music, which would be difficult to achieve manually.

Mr Webb, from Pyrovision, who has been involved in the annual display for 27 years, said: “This is the first time we have tried this and I think people will notice a difference. It is quite rare to try to combine the two techniques.”

He said his motivation is to make the extravaganza better and different each year, which can make his job stressful.

“I do get extremely nervous on the night. A lot of people come to see this show. They have expectations and I have expectations and all that mounts up.

“It’s really important we push the envelope each year. Achieving something new each year is the motivation on my part, as well as achieving the choreography and getting the timing right.

“When people say ‘I don’t know how they got that firework to burst on that note’ I know I’ve done my job well.”

Organisers have spent the past week setting up the display and rehearsing with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Led by conductor Garry Walker, the orchestra will play an exotic mix of music inspired by Asia, Arabia and the East.

More than 100,000 fireworks will be set off, ranging from six-inch rockets that shoot up to 800 feet before exploding in colour, to round fireworks known as “cakes” that fire 665 shots in 10 seconds.

Organisers hope the forecast rain will not put a dampener on the display, which starts at 9pm. Only if there are high winds will it be too dangerous to let off some of the fireworks.

People will watch the world’s largest annual live music firework display from parks and vantage points across the capital.

Paid tickets are available for people wanting to view it from Princes Street Gardens.

The traditional ballot for thousands of tickets has been abandoned this year in favour of a general sale.

A final allocation of tickets goes on sale tomorrow at 10am from The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh.

Thousands more people will watch for free from Inverleith Park, where there will be a large screen with a live link to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in the Ross Bandstand.

Virgin Money, which is sponsoring the show for the first time this year, is also providing spectators unable to access Princes Street a family viewing area at Inverleith Park.