The show that gave Dartmouth a night to remember

It was the perfect setting and perfect weather for fireworks in Devon to celebrate a 150th-anniversary summer ball. Overlooking the picturesque River Dart estuary the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth has one of the most glorious views in the country.

As the leading UK fireworks company, our brief was to give the ball’s 500 guests a spectacle to match. Fireworks, lighting, projections and a ring of flaming oil lamps thrilled ball-goers with a magical sight.

We lit the 130-metre frontage with colour wash Kolorado uplighters, two Spaceflower searchlights and used a 20,000 lumens projector to beam images of the college’s history on to the central façade. Instead of the usual fireworks display, which in the past had been fired in the grounds below the college, we proposed a display from the rooftop.

As we were atop a listed building great care was taken with the choice of fireworks to minimise the risk of damage.  When the Upbeat Beatles worked the audience into a mass rendition of Hey Jude, the roof erupted in spectacular fashion. ‘You did us proud,’ said the ball organiser Lieut Russ Williams. ‘When we draw up the suppliers for our next ball your name  will be top of the list.’

Want fireworks for your own back garden or community display? Visit fireworks for sale.