Pyrotechnics plane returns to “paint Great Yarmouth’s sky with colour” in weekly summer fireworks

 

• A pyrotechnics plane will light up the sky over Great Yarmouth seafront with weekly airborne fireworks and aerobatics displays again this summer.
• “Even bigger and better” Big Wednesdays promised by pilot who has entertained crowds from the skies at the Dubai World Cup and Lisbon Harbour.
• The free fireworks – Big Wednesdays and Big Tuesdays at Hemsby – start next week.
• Weekly summer fireworks displays are worth £3.3m a year to Great Yarmouth’s economy – for every £1 spent on fireworks last year £22 spent in businesses on and around the seafronts.

 

The night sky over Great Yarmouth seafront will light up in dramatic technicolour next week as the airplane that drew thousands of people to Great Yarmouth on Wednesdays last year returns with a “bigger and better” aerobatic and stunt display over the sea.

Organised and funded by Visit Great Yarmouth, the free fireworks, Big Wednesdays at Great Yarmouth and Big Tuesdays at Hemsby, return next week for six summer spectaculars on July 21 at Hemsby and July 22 at Great Yarmouth.

AeroSPARX’s motor glider lit by 2,000 LED lights that wowed last year’s crowds will be back with its choreographed pyrotechnic displays over the sea, igniting fireworks from its long wings as dusk falls every Wednesday through the summer holidays, starting next week (July 22).

Great Yarmouth is – and was last year – the only UK seaside destination to offer the spectacular night sky entertainment, delivered by the team who thrilled crowds at the Dubai World Cup, the Formula 1 in Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and entertains at events all over Europe.

The plane will be back just before 9pm next Wednesday, followed by a 10pm major display from the seafront.

And AeroSPARX – the only team in the world to combine formation flying, aerobatics, and nighttime airborne pyrotechnics creating “breath-taking shapes” – promise an “even bigger and better” display this year from its GROB 109B motor glider.

Independent research using key tourism data revealed that the Big Tuesdays and Big Wednesdays generate more than £3million to the economy, sustaining 45 full time equivalent jobs.

For every £1 spent on the displays, £22 was generated for the local economy. The economic impact was undertaken by Destination Research, who analysed spending by day visitors and holidaymakers in seafront and local businesses, shops, cafes, bars, attractions, accommodation and transport on Big Wednesdays and Tuesdays in 2024.

Nathan Race, chair of Visit Great Yarmouth, said: ““We cannot wait for this year’s Big Tuesdays and Big Wednesdays to start. They have become highlights of the annual calendar. Residents and visitors alike plan their trips and holidays around the dates, travelling from far and wide to enjoy the incredible displays and everything our seafront has to offer.

They are set off by computer when the sends a 12-volt signal to a squib to light the firework according to the choreography.

Asa Morrison, Visit Great Yarmouth Chief Executive, said: “The new dimension of spectacular pyrotechnic plane displays was a real hit last year, so we are building on that for this summer with AeroSparx, as we also maximise our displays from the beach.

“We are looking forward to some amazing nights in Great Yarmouth and Hemsby over the summer holidays.

“Like in previous years, we will be launching the 10pm fireworks from three different seafront locations through the summer, to give people the chance to experience as much of the seafront as possible and visit perhaps new businesses and attractions that they haven’t accessed before so all our visitors have the best possible views and enjoy a memorable experience.”

Great Yarmouth is the only seaside resort in the UK where Leicestershire -based aerobatic team AeroSPARX flies. It was the first team in Europe to put pyrotechnics on an aeroplane and regularly entertains crowds at events across Europe, including at Lisbon Harbour, Riga and other big events.

It has a global reputation for its creativity and successfully staging the world’s first combined display of manned aircraft and a drone swarm at the closing ceremony of the Dubai World Cup 2023.

Pilot Rob Barsby – just returned from flying in Poland, Lithuania and Riga, flying over Great Yarmouth en route to recce the seafront ahead of this year’s displays – promised “bigger and better” this year.

“We don’t do many shows in the UK, so that makes Great Yarmouth special. We have flown all over the world since last year, and I have been contacted by people on social media who saw us in Great Yarmouth last year, saying they will be back this year.”

Fireworks are fitted to the plane’s wingtips, wheel spats and trailing edges.

Firework displays at 10pm at Hemsby will take place on July 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18 and 25.

The plane will perform at dusk starting at 9pm next week, with displays from Great Yarmouth beach at 10pm on July 22, 29, August 5,12, 19, 26.