L'International des Feux Loto-Québec

The Montreal Fireworks Festival (French: L'International des Feux Loto-Québec), is the largest and most prestigious fireworks competition in the world. It has been held yearly in La Ronde over the Dolphins lake, since 1985, and is named after its main sponsor, Loto-Québec. It hosts an estimated 3 million spectators each year, with approximately 6,000 fireworks set off during each show. Each summer, eight or nine pyrotechnical companies from different countries present a 30-minute-long pyromusical show, competing for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Jupiters or trophies.

The Montreal Clock Tower during the Montreal Fireworks Festival.

For the 20th anniversary in 2004, eight of the previous top competitors (all of whom had won the Gold Jupiter) were invited to fight for the unique Platinum Jupiter in June and July 2004, which was won in the end by the German company WECO.

The competition takes the form of a series of biweekly fireworks shows usually beginning in late June and ending in late July. The fireworks are synchronized to music which is also broadcast over a provincial radio station (RockDétente in 2005, Rythme FM 2006-onwards). Spectators can purchase tickets to have reserved seats in La Ronde: they can buy them on site, on-line or through the Admission group to obtain an exceptional view of the lower altitude display and the whole perspective. However, tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of people watch the fireworks for free from nearby locations. In 2009 and 2010, the shows were held on Saturday nights only, from June to August, however in 2011 shows were again held on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning end of June until end of July.

Jupiter winners

YearGold JupiterSilver JupiterBronze Jupiter
1985France France ** & Japan Japan ***Italy Italy ** & United States United States *** Spain Spain
1986Spain Spain ** & China China ***France France ** & United States United States ****
1987 United States United StatesGermany Germany Spain Spain
1988 Spain SpainGermany Germany United States United States
1989Germany Germany United States United States Spain Spain & Canada Canada
1990France France Spain Spain Switzerland Switzerland
1991United States United StatesNetherlands Netherlands Switzerland Switzerland
1992China ChinaUnited States United States Spain Spain
1993Spain Spain China China France France
1994 United States United StatesAustralia Australia Japan Japan
1995Netherlands Netherlands France France Italy Italy
1996United States United States Spain Spain Germany Germany
1997 Italy ItalyGermany Germany Austria Austria
1998 United States United StatesItaly Italy Spain Spain
1999United States United StatesCanada Canada Spain Spain
2000Germany Germany Spain Spain Australia Australia
2001Spain Spain Australia Australia Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei
2002France France Portugal Portugal Canada Canada
2003Canada CanadaAustralia Australia Hong Kong Hong Kong
2004Germany Germany* *
2005Argentina ArgentinaUnited States United States Canada Canada
2006United States United StatesFrance France Australia Australia
2007England EnglandGermany Germany United States United States
2008United States United StatesAustralia Australia China China
2009 CanadaHong Kong Hong Kong, China United States United States
2010 Canada Sweden France
2011 Italy France Australia
2012 United States Portugal Italy
2013 Italy Croatia Spain
2014 Canada Australia France
2015 England FranceHong Kong Hong Kong, China
2016 Spain SwedenSwitzerland Switzerland
2017 England FrancePortugal Portugal
2018 Philippines AustriaUnited States United States
2019 Portugal Australia United States
2020not held
2021not held
2022 England Hungary Canada
2023 Finland United States Portugal

* Not awarded.

** 1985 & 1986 Pyromusical Category Winners [1]

*** 1985 & 1986 Traditional Category Winners [2]

Gold Jupiter winning teams

  • 2023: Finland Finland ( Joho Pyro)
  • 2021: DID NOT TAKE PLACE DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. However, throughout the summer of 2021, the event returned following its 2020 cancellation in a miniature, competition-free format where pop-up fireworks shows of five minutes in length would take place at parks in different boroughs and suburbs of Montreal.[3] In compliance with public health measures set forth by the Government of Quebec, organizers would only reveal the boroughs in which the shows would happen on the morning of each day that a show was scheduled to take place, and the exact venue as to where the fireworks would be shot was kept top secret from the public. The mini shows were a lead-up to a 30-minute finale on September 4 that festival organizers hoped to have at La Ronde that would honor essential workers throughout the pandemic.[4] However, Quebec public health did not give festival organizers the green light to have the show on that day, citing concerns about gatherings, and the show was canceled.[5] The communities that hosted the mini fireworks shows were as follows:
DateBorough/Community
July 24Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles
July 31Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve
August 7Verdun (Île-des-Sœurs)
August 14Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Saint-Léonard
August 21Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Pointe-Claire
August 28Lachine
  • 2020: DID NOT TAKE PLACE DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
  • 2019: Portugal Portugal ( Groupo Luso Pirotecnica.)
  • 2018: Philippines Philippines (Dragon Fireworks Inc.)
  • 2017: England England (Jubilee Fireworks Ltd.)
  • 2016: Spain Spain (Ricasa)
  • 2015: England England (Jubilee Fireworks Ltd.)
  • 2014: Canada Canada (Fireworks Spectaculars and Royal Pyrotechnie Colab )
  • 2013: Italy Italy (PyroEmotions & PyrodigiT Team)
  • 2012: United States United States (Atlas Pyrovision Productions)
  • 2011: Italy Italy (Pirotecnica Morsani SRL)
  • 2010: Canada Canada (Fireworks Spectaculars)
  • 2009: Canada Canada (Royal Pyrotechnie)
  • 2008: United States United States (Pyrotecnico)
  • 2007: England England (Pains Fireworks)
  • 2006: United States United States (Melrose Pyrotechnics)
  • 2005: Argentina Argentina (Fuegos Artificiales Júpiter)
  • 2004: Germany Germany - Platinum Jupiter (WECO)
  • 2003: Canada Canada (Royal Pyrotechnie)
  • 2002: France France (Société Lacroix-Ruggieri)
  • 2001: Spain Spain (Pirotècnia Igual)
  • 2000: Germany Germany (Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik)
  • 1999: United States United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
  • 1998: United States United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
  • 1997: Italy Italy (Ipon s.r.l.)
  • 1996: United States United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
  • 1995: Netherlands Netherlands (JNS Pyrotechniek)
  • 1994: United States United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
  • 1993: Spain Spain (Pirotecnia Caballer)
  • 1992: China China (Sunny International)
  • 1991: United States United States (Pyrotechnology Inc.)
  • 1990: France France (Société Étienne Lacroix)
  • 1989: Germany Germany (Lünig Feuerwerk Stuttgart)
  • 1988: Spain Spain (Pirotècnia Igual)
  • 1987: United States United States (Austin Fireworks, Inc.)
  • 1986: Spain Spain (Pirotecnia Caballer)** & China China (Dongguan Fireworks)***
  • 1985: France France (Société Étienne Lacroix)** & Japan Japan (Marutamaya Ogatsu)***

** Winners of the 1985 & 1986 Pyromusical Category [6]

*** Winners of the 1985 & 1986 Traditional Category [7]

Viewing locations

Although the fireworks are fired from La Ronde on Saint Helen's Island, they can easily be seen from many points in the Montreal area: elsewhere on Saint Helen's Island; Longueuil; on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, which is closed to traffic from around 8 p.m. until the end of the show;[8] the Old Port of Montreal; or locations along the side or on a boat on the Saint Lawrence River.

See also

References

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