Skyfire is an annual March fireworks show held over Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, Australia since 1989. The event is funded by local radio stations hit 104.7 and Mix 106.3,[2][3][4] and the display is synchronised to a soundtrack of music broadcast on the stations.
| Skyfire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Fireworks display |
| Date(s) | March |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Canberra |
| Inaugurated | 1989[1] |
| Most recent | 2024[2][3][4] |
| Attendance | More than 100,000 (2014)[5] |
| Patron(s) | hit 104.7 and other sponsors |
History of the event edit
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: half the years event was held are missing. Sources missing. (February 2021) |
The first Skyfire was held on 18 March 1989, as FM 104.7's contribution to the Canberra Festival that year.[1]
Around 60,000 people attended the second Skyfire on 11 March 1990, which was put on at a cost of around A$100,000.[6]
On 10 March 1991, Skyfire III saw more than 2.5 tonnes of fireworks launched into the sky for Canberra's viewing pleasure.[7]
In 1992, Skyfire was held on 8 March. It featured 3 tonnes of pyrotechnics and lasted for 35 minutes.[8]
Skyfire V, on 7 March 1993, featured 436 separate shots, coordinated to music by artists including Madonna, Midnight Oil and Prince.[9] The show used more than five tonnes of fireworks, launched from 10 pontoons floating in the middle of the lake.[10]
In 1994, Skyfire was held on 13 March and featured 6 tonnes of aerial and water fireworks worth almost A$250,000.[11]
Skyfire X, on 8 March 1998, attracted an estimated 120,000 visitors.[12]
Skyfire XI, held on 7 March 1999, had grown to attract an estimated 180,000 visitors.[13]
The 2006 Skyfire was held on 4 March, and called "Skyfire 18" because it was the eighteenth year of the fireworks. The day has become a large event with other activities including a display by the Roulettes aerobatic squadron and a performance by Lee Harding. There were around 35,000 individual fireworks used, with approximately 6,000 shooting comets and almost 3,000 shells.
More than 170,000 visitors turned out to see Skyfire 19 in 2007.[citation needed]
Skyfire 21 was held on 21 March 2009, with fireworks commencing at 8.33pm and lasting for 21 minutes. The firing zone was down the centre basin of Lake Burley Griffin up to Anzac Parade and Parliament House down to Regatta Point.[14] Fortunato Foti and a band of pyrotechnicians from Foti International Fireworks provided the show which was "at least 30 per cent bigger than the previous years,"[15] with "over 3,000 aerial fireworks, 15 to 20,000 shooting comets".[15] One barge shot off a few more fireworks for 5–10 minutes after the show completed.
On 19 March 2011 around 80,000 people attended Skyfire. That year over 30 youths were taken into custody by police for underage drinking at the event.[16] The following year, 130 police were employed to patrol Skyfire, and youth reception stations were set up at the event.[17]
The 2012 event featured more than 2,500 aerial fireworks.[18]
Skyfire 25 in 2013 featured displays by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Federation Guard and the Snowy Hydro Rescue Helicopter.[19]
Skyfire in 2014 utilised around 3,000 individual cues and approximately eight kilometres of cabling.[20]
Skyfire 2018 featured 40,000 pyrotechnic effects, 2,500 shells and 25,000 shooting comets. The firework display started at 8:30pm with events at Regatta Point starting at 6:00 pm including music, Federation Guard displays and a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fast jet handling display.[21]
Skyfire was cancelled in 2020, for the first time, due to the coronavirus pandemic in Australia. In November 2020, the 2021 show was also cancelled due to the pandemic.[22]
On 26 October 2023 at 8 am local time, as part of a huge announcement, it was announced that Skyfire would return on 16 March 2024, after a 5-year hiatus due to the pandemic.[22] amplifyCBR radio stations Hit104.7 and Mix 106.3 Canberra both co-hosted the event live from Regatta Point and Lake Burley Griffin.[2][3][4]
Attendance and pyrotechnics by year edit
| Date | Attendance | Details of pyrotechnics | References | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 March 1989 | 70,000 | [1] | ||
| 11 March 1990 | 60,000 | [6] | ||
| 10 March 1991 | More than 2.5 tonnes of fireworks | [7] | ||
| 8 March 1992 | 3 tonnes of fireworks; display lasted 35 minutes | [8] | ||
| 7 March 1993 | Featured 436 separate shots | [9] | ||
| 13 March 1994 | Featured six tonnes of aerial and water fireworks worth almost $250,000 | [11] | ||
| 12 March 1995 | Incorporated 4500 special effects | [23] | ||
| 10 March 1996 | More than 1.5 tonnes of fireworks | [24] | ||
| 9 March 1997 | [25] | |||
| 8 March 1998 | 120,000 | [12] | ||
| 7 March 1999 | 180,000 | [13] | ||
| 12 March 2000 | 80,000 | [26][27] | ||
| 3 March 2001 | [28] | |||
| 9 March 2002 | [29] | |||
| 8 March 2003 | ||||
| 6 March 2004 | 70,000 | Two main barges and nine pontoons | [30] | |
| 8 March 2005 | ||||
| 4 March 2006 | 35,000 individual fireworks used, with approximately 6,000 shooting comets and almost 3,000 shells | |||
| 10 March 2007 | More than 170,000 | |||
| 15 March 2008 | ||||
| 21 March 2009 | 130,000 | [31] | ||
| 20 March 2010 | ||||
| 19 March 2011 | Around 80,000 | [16] | ||
| 17 March 2012 | Over 100,000 | Featured more than 2,500 aerial fireworks, 25,000 shooting comets and around 40,000 pyrotechnic effects | [32] | |
| 16 March 2013 | Featured 40,000 individual pyrotechnics | [33][34] | ||
| 15 March 2014 | 120,000 | More than 2000 aerial fireworks and 10,000 shooting comets, display lasting 18 minutes | [5][35] | |
| 14 March 2015 | More than 100,000 | Featured more than 20 tonnes of equipment set up in 11 positions along 400 metres of the lake's central basin, and more than 2,000 kilograms of explosive content. | [36][37] | |
| 19 March 2016 | Featured more than 2,000 aerial fireworks and more than 10,000 ground-based crackers from 11 platforms in the lake's basin. | [38] | ||
| 18 March 2017 | ||||
| 17 March 2018 | ||||
| 16 March 2019 | a primary barge exploded | |||
| 15 March 2020 | cancelled | [22] | ||
| 20 March 2021 | cancelled | [22] | ||
| 16 March 2024 | 130,000 | First Skyfire in five years. 40,000 effects, 2,500 shells and 25,000 shooting comets | [2][3][39] |
Sponsors edit
Skyfire is a hit104.7 Canberra event, with sponsorship over the years also offered by Casino Canberra,[13] ActewAGL,[40] and Canberra Airport.[31]
References edit
- ^ a b c "The festival is in full swing". The Canberra Times. Vol. 63, no. 19, 519. Australian Capital Territory. 18 March 1989. p. 5. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
The FM104.7 contribution to Canberra Festival, Skyfire I, will explode over Kings Park tonight
- ^ a b c d Savyasachi, Bageshri (26 October 2023). "Skyfire to return to Canberra after five-year break". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Australian Community Media. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d Coleman, James (27 October 2023). "Canberra's 'pyrotechnic bonanza' is back for 2024". Riotact. Region Group. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Patterson, Sarah (15 March 2024). "Canberra counts down to Skyfire 2024". Radio Today. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b Belot, Henry (15 March 2014). "Canberrans enjoy Skyfire 2014". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 11 May 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Getting a blast from the night sky". The Canberra Times. Vol. 64, no. 20, 057. Australian Capital Territory. 12 March 1990. p. 1. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b "Skyfire III ready to blaze the heavens". The Canberra Times. Vol. 65, no. 20, 420. Australian Capital Territory. 10 March 1991. p. 2. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b "Spectacular night display". The Canberra Times. Vol. 66, no. 20, 780. Australian Capital Territory. 5 March 1992. p. 17. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b Mapstone, Naomi (6 March 1993). "All set for countdown to Skyfire Mark V". The Canberra Times. Vol. 67, no. 21, 144. Australian Capital Territory. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Bachelard, Michael (9 March 1993). "Fireworks go up before the rain pours down". The Canberra Times. Vol. 67, no. 21, 147. Australian Capital Territory. p. 6. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b Fuller, Jacqueline (11 March 1994). "Explosive show expected on Sunday". The Canberra Times. Vol. 68, no. 21, 513. Australian Capital Territory. p. 4. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b News Briefs Australia New Zealand 1998, Meyer Sound, archived from the original on 23 February 2014
- ^ a b c "SKYFIRE" (PDF). Casinos Austria International: Newspages (22). Casino Canberra: 3. June 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2003.
- ^ Skyfire: Saturday 21st March 2009, Queanbeyan Online Community and Business, archived from the original on 6 July 2011
- ^ a b Andrews, Louis (21 March 2009). "Skyfire's 21st guaranteed to go off with a bang". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009.
- ^ a b "Skyfire, Enlighten prove popular". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 March 2011. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Knaus, Christopher (14 March 2012). "130 cops to crackdown on underage drinking at Skyfire". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Doherty, Megan (17 March 2012). "Skyfire to lower the boom on capital". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014.
- ^ McIlory, Tom (16 March 2013). "Night sky's the limit for birthday bash". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 12 December 2014.
- ^ Doherty, Megan; Belot, Henry (14 March 2014). "Skyfire to set the Canberra sky alight". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014.
- ^ "SKYFIRE - ENLIGHTEN". ENLIGHTEN. ACT Government. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ^ a b c d Brown, Andrew (23 November 2020). "Skyfire 2021 cancelled due to coronavirus". The Canberra Times. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
... the safety and health of the Canberra community was the priority. .... We have made the difficult, though responsible and sensible decision, to cancel for 2021... – Canberra FM Radio general manager, Craig Wagstaff
- ^ Mapstone, Naomi (13 March 1995). "Skyfire sparks the imagination". The Canberra Times. Vol. 70, no. 21, 879. Australian Capital Territory. p. 1. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ North, Norman (29 February 1996). "Canberra alive with bright balloons, fun and festivities". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 20. Retrieved 16 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ North, Norman (6 March 1997). "Canberra lets down its festival hair". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 26. ProQuest 363389346.
- ^ Kate Carnell, Chief Minister (30 March 2000). "CANBERRA NATIONAL MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL 2000". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly for the ACT. pp. 1142–1143.
- ^ Jackson, Catriona (12 March 2000). "Fireworks display will be festival's biggest yet". The Canberra Times. Rural Press. p. 4. ProQuest 1012378251.
- ^ Doherty, Megan (4 March 2001). "Packed first day of action". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Rural Press. p. 6. ProQuest 1016121058.
- ^ "Territorial truth". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Rural Press. 13 February 2002. p. 6. ProQuest 1016210421.
- ^ Canberra Skyfire 2004 "Best Ever", 9 March 2014, archived from the original on 28 February 2014
- ^ a b "Majura Park makes a mark at Skyfire 21 celebrations" (PDF). The Hub (49). Canberra Airport. April 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2013.
- ^ Knaus, Christopher (18 March 2012). "Skyfire wins battle with elements". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012.
- ^ "Skyfire lights up Canberra". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 March 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Nicholson, Larissa (17 March 2013). "Skyfire lights up city skies for second time in a week". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013.
- ^ "104.7 celebrate recent Canberra Skyfire". Radio Today. 3 April 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014.
- ^ Kelly, Emma (13 March 2015). "Skyfire to illuminate Canberra with colour and sound this weekend". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ "Police praise Skyfire crowd". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. 15 March 2015. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015.
- ^ Jeffery, Stephen (19 March 2016). "Canberra turns out in force for Skyfire fireworks display". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Landis-Hanley, Justine (16 March 2024). "Thousands flock to Lake Burley Griffin as Skyfire returns with a bang". The Canberra Times. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian Community Media. p. 0. ProQuest 2957743138. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "ActewAGL proud to support a bigger, brighter and cleaner Skyfire in 2014" (Press release). Australian Capital Territory: ActewAGL. 14 March 2014. Archived from the original on 13 December 2014.