Fireworks festival returns to Gunning after five-year hiatus

It’s been five years in the making, but a fireworks festival will once again light up the night in Gunning this September.

Fireworks Australia managing director Martin Brady said the festival was set to be bigger than ever before.

“We’re pretty keen to make it spectacular,” he said.

Though the first festival was held about 20 years ago, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising costs meant it was put on hold for five years.

“We decided at the time to cease doing it and have another look when we’re on the other side of COVID,” he said.

“We would constantly get asked about the festival, so we thought bringing it back would be an opportunity to re-engage with people who want to go to the festival.”

For the first time, the festival on 7 September will feature two pyromusical shows – fireworks displays set to music – and have rides and food stalls.

“We wanted to change it and give it a fresher look, so those shows will bookend a [fireworks] demonstration,” Mr Brady said.

“The first show will have a children and family theme to it with music from things like Frozen, while the second will have a rock’n’roll theme.”

Mr Brady and his team use 3D modelling software to help plot the display.

“Normally, firework shows [are viewed] by people sitting in a line adjacent to it. They look across at it,” he said.

“This show is a little bit different, because the audience surrounds it in the arena.

“They watch from the whole 360 degrees and we have to make sure that it looks good from every angle.”

The night will also feature a demonstration of the “latest and greatest fireworks” organiser Fireworks Australia has in its toolbox.

“I’m always surprised how much people enjoy seeing us firing one firework at a time!”

Mr Brady said there were also plans for possible inclusions of propane flame machines, spark machines and lazers.

“It’s a little bit like Bonfire Night [an annual celebration with fireworks and bonfires in the United Kingdom], where families can sit and watch some crackers,” he said.

“When people come to see the festival, I think there is a bit of nostalgia – people can’t set off fireworks themselves anymore, but they can come to our show.

“Gunning is a very generous town in allowing this to happen.”

Mr Brady said fireworks had become an increasingly common sight as organisers looked to draw back crowds.

“Our company’s busier than we’ve ever been before,” he said.

“Promoters, festivals and events have had to work very hard to get people to come back to them, because a lot of things were shut down for a few years.

“It does seem to me that a lot of things are starting to come back, or have come back and are rolling on – and fireworks are being used in more events than before.”

As for the Gunning Fireworks Festival, time will tell as to the size of the crowd – though he recommends getting in early to secure a (parking) spot.

“We think that if the weather’s OK, then we will be OK,” he said.

“On a few occasions, it has maxed out with cars and people have had to park outside the venue and walk in.”

The Gunning Fireworks Festival will be held on 7 September at Gunning Showground, and the gates will be open from 3 pm. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for kids or $40 per family.