LIFESTYLE
The sky lights up every November, with colours of red, blue and purple. And staring up at the firework display, we feel nothing but wonder. Fireworks have captivated us for 2,000 years, but why do we love them?
With firework night on the way, it’s time to celebrate what goes bang, crackle and sparkle in the night sky!
The bir th of the bang
Sometime between 600 and 900 AD, Chinese alchemists made a concoction of chemicals resulting in gunpowder. Stuffing the explosive into bamboo shoots, they were thrown onto bonfires creating a big boom – and the first fireworks were born!
This developed into making bombs and missiles in ancient warfare, but by the Renaissance, pyrotechnic schools were popping up across Europe training firework artists.
The first firework display in England was actually on Henry VII’s wedding day in 1486.
By the 1830s in Italy, artists started adding metals to the fireworks, creating the bright multi-coloured sparks we love today.
See it yourself!
With bonfire night just round the corner, there are some spectacular firework displays you must check out. So, sit back and smell the sulphur, watch the glitter and cover your ears, with these explosively good days out!
For two nights, in the heart of The National Forest in Derbyshire, head to Conkers for a dazzling fireworks bonanza.
With a huge display and fire breathers, it’s set to be a feast for the eyes – there is even a laser show, too! With train rides, a food market and a sparkler station, there is something for the whole family to enjoy.
Wrap up warm, grab a hot chocolate and watch the sky erupt into thousands of different colours.
• Tickets are £11.50 for adults, please visit: visitconkers.com
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, then watching fireworks in the setting of the UK’s most thrilling rollercoaster theme park is perfect for you. It is also the last chance you’ll get to go on the rides and attractions before the season ends.
And with the fireworks dancing in the night sky, the park is open later, so you can ride the coasters in the dark for extra scares and screams.
• Tickets start at £25, please visit: altontowers.com
Wolverhampton Racecourse’s renowned fireworks night is back and this year the theme is ‘Night of Colours’. The fireworks are set to music, so sing along as the colours burst. The event organisers also urge everyone to dress in their most colourful warm clothes. You can literally dress up as a firework! There are fairground rides and hot food and drink, too.
• Tickets are £8, please visit: wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk
