10179 Italian Fireworks In Spanish Festival

WOW Gala. Tomorrow!!! How exciting!!! Is the competition held there every year??? Hope you are going to add some of your own photos. Enjoy!!!

Yes, Sally, the competition has been held for the past 45 years and it has international prestige. Seven teams, many of them from different countries present a show that lasts 15 minutes only. The fireworks look fantastic on the bay and it is a great celebration, part of the festivities which accompany the "Semana Grande" or Big Week of the city. They say that the Italians are fabulous, they've just won the competition at the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, but they are going to find that the competitors are very tough, as well.

Here is some more information on the Festival:
[url=http://www.phoenixfireworks.co.uk/43_competition_international_fireworks_festival_san_sebastian_2006.htm]43 competition - international fireworks festival - San Sebastian - 2006[/url]

Well, tonight is the night. We are taking a bottle of Prosecco to the beach and we are going to be clapping and cheering as loud as we can. Only problem, it has been raining all day and it is very cloudy which may affect the final result. Also, they are up against the Valencians who had a magnificent show last night and they have won 5 times the competition. Also, they were the ones who were in charge of the fireworks for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and they are in business since 1822.... Anyway, here is another fine example of Parente's art:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y436Sqwv3vk&feature=related]YouTube - parente fireworks scarica notturna[/ame]

Saw a display from them a couple of years ago at the world championships held in Blackpool - they were stunning, but only came second. There is another world championship being held again in Blackpool later this year, but I'm not sure if Parente are attending as they were a bit miffed about not winning.

I understand that they did the fireworks at the winter Olympics in Torino/Turin 2006. I love this sequence. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zR4RP5OsnI[/ame]

Just back from the Fireworks Competition. Absolutely superb! I think that Parente is the best up to now. The public appreciated very much their display and their vote counts a lot. An ovation at the end, even if it had started to rain, but nobody left. I will keep you informed, but we have to wait until Sunday for the final results.

This is the only photo available at this stage and it has been taken at approximately 500 m from the place where the competition was held. It's a nice photo, though. Have a look:

[url=http://foto.rompres.ro/index.php?i=2684302]AGERPRES FOTO[/url]

The full video of Parente's fabulous fireworks:

[url=http://canales.diariovasco.com/ocio/jaiak/index.php]Jaiak 2008: Fiestas en Gipuzkoa - diariovasco.com[/url]

Was that last night's??? Whatever, very spectacular neverteless. Is tere a prize at the end???

Yes, Sally. That was Parente´s display last night. The newspapers say that it has been exceptionally good and much applauded by the public.
Regarding San Sebastian´s International Fireworks Competition, it was created in 1964 and it is the oldest of its kind in the Western World and very highly ranked and regarded. It lasts 7 nights with only one show each night.
The prize is a gold, silver or bronze trophy in the shape of a seashell, which refers to the shape of San Sebastian´s beach and bay: "La Concha". There is also a prize in metallic, but not very big and anyway it is the promotion what the fireworks people are worried about.
Here is something from a few years ago with very nice photos:

[url=http://www.phoenixfireworks.co.uk/International-Firework-Competion.htm]International Firework Competion[/url]

Parente is very keen on winning this year as they have participated several times without getting first prize. Fingers crossed!

Great information Gala, thanks once again There is a large firework company near Orange, Provence, (personal connections, hence interest). Any idea what the name of it is and if they tare taking part in San Sebastian???

Sally, this year there was a French competitor: France Arts & Feux, but they are from the North of France, from Civières. No rival for Parente, though.....

Great news! It has just been announced that Parente Fireworks has won the much coveted "Concha de Oro" or, to make it easier, first prize at the 45th San Sebastian International Fireworks Competition. Unfortunately, Mr Parente was not there to pick up his trophy as he had to go to Bari for another display, but he sent a nice message through one of the friends he has made over the past 40 something years that he has been coming to compete. He started coming from a very young age, in a van with just one helper all the way from Italy. Amongst his many anecdotes regarding the competition there was the one during Franco's regime, when he was told by the Police to aim the fireworks towards the buildings on the seafront and not towards the sea (this is the normal way to do it), as Franco's private yacht, the "Azor" was moored in the Bay!!!!:wideeyed::wideeyed::wideeyed:
He was really terrified but had to obbey orders!!!!
Anyway, it is great to hear the news and we applauded the winner!
Mr Parente said that he intends to come back for another 40 years at least! Let's hope we will be able to keep on watching his magnificent displays. Well done, as the competition was extremely tough!

More Italian fireworks! This time in Bilbao (home of one of the Guggenheim's. Big display by Tirrena, another important company which won last year's top prize at the same festival. Have a look:
[url=http://www.latirrenafireworks.it/index3.html]Fabbrica fuochi artificiali: La Tirrena Fireworks - Caserta, Campania[/url]

Hey Gala I forgot until now to check out the result of the competition. Well done Italy!!!