Lighting up the Montreal Sky

Best seats in the house, an apartment view of the
International Firework Competition in Montreal.

There are many things I enjoy: a deliciously crunchy pickle spear to accompany a sandwich, coming home to snuggle with Adam in front of the TV, and the razzle dazzle of fireworks (just to name a few).  I will elaborate on the first two in future posts and stick to the subject of fireworks this time around.


Having lived my entire life in the United States, there are two national holidays that burn brightest - The Fourth of July and New Year's Eve.  Any celebration that requires lighting things on fire and watching them go boom is bound to be a great time.  Montreal must feel the same way, because they have devoted a good portion of their summers to enjoying pyrotechnic displays.


Known for being the best and largest fireworks festival in the world, L'International des Feux Loto-Quebec began in late June and finished up last weekend.  At 10pm every Wednesday and Saturday evening, the sky over Montreal lit up - with at least 4,000 fireworks set off during each thirty minute display.  I don't think I need to explain how exciting it is to have a full hour of fireworks every week!  


The competition has been held yearly since 1985, over Lacs des Dauphins (Dolphin Lake, for my anglophone friends) at La Ronde (Montreal's amusement park, opened as part of the Expo 67 World's Fair, and now a Six Flags theme park).  At La Ronde, the show can be viewed from the 7,600 seats available for purchase or there is standing room for an additional 30,000 people.  If you don't want to pay the park's admission you can join the thousands of spectators who enjoy the show for free throughout the city - in Vieux-Port, on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, or as we did this year - from a well positioned apartment balcony belonging to Adam's friend.


This was the first year we realized the fireworks were synchronized to music, which seems obvious now, but makes them even more spectacular.  There are sixty acoustic speakers surrounding the lake.  Or if you are at Bjorn's apartment, the music is broadcast over a provincial radio station to accompany the display.

This year eight countries competed: China, Czech Republic, England, Italy, Australia, USA, Canada, and France. The final show was a non-competitive tribute to the Beatles and their music.  A jury, chosen from the general public, determined the winners of the Jupiter award in Gold, Silver, and Bronze.  Those familiar with Roman Mythology, may remember that Jupiter is the god of the sky and natural elements, such as thunder and lightning.


I'd love to say that we made it to each and every pyrotechnic display, but sadly there were a few we missed.  I truly regret having missed Italy's "Angels and Demons" themed display (put on by Pirtecnia Mosani RSl, the same company that does the firework displays for the Vatican) which was awarded the Gold Jupiter.  I wish I could tell you how amazing it was to watch that show in person, but I wanted to attempt ordering dessert in French when we were out to dinner that night.  Adam warned me I would not have time for both dessert and fireworks, and I forgot that service can be a lot slower in Montreal than what I am used to in Chicago.  On a side note, I learned an important lesson that night: "mangue", French for mango, is not pronounced "man-goo".

iPhones aren't best for photographing fireworks,
but this captures some of the awesomeness
during the finale of the Beatles tribute display.

Next year I would like to splurge and actually see one of the firework displays from La Ronde.  There is no doubt that the fireworks are impressive from anywhere in the city.  But after watching some of the displays we missed online, I think there is definitely an exceptional view of the ground show and a whole perspective at La Ronde that just cannot be seen from anywhere else.