Hannover Fireworks Competition
The International Fireworks Competition in Hannover (Internationaler Feuerwerkswettbewerb) is Germany’s oldest fireworks competition. Since 1991 it has been held in the Great Garden of the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, one of Europe’s finest Baroque gardens. Each season, five top pyrotechnic teams from five different countries compete. Each team stages a show of roughly 25 minutes set to music: a compulsory piece first, then a freestyle program of its own choosing. A professional jury judges the shows on creativity, synchronization with the music, colour design, technical execution and innovation.
The competition is held annually on selected Saturday evenings between May and September. Each date belongs to a different nation. The evening starts with a relaxed stroll through the gardens’ hedges, fountains and sculptures before dark. Then more than 10,000 spectators watch the sky above the gardens light up in a display that reflects in the ponds and parterres below.
2027 Competition Schedule:
2027 theme: “Her Time to Shine – Women Light the Sky”. Every show is designed by female pyrotechnic designers.
| Date | Competing Nation |
|---|---|
| May 22 | Hungary |
| June 12 | Spain |
| August 14 | Ukraine |
| September 4 | France |
| September 11 | Japan (season finale) |
Fireworks Competition Highlights:
- Five Nations, Five Nights: Each competition evening features a single international pyrotechnic team. Every show has its own style, from Spanish and Hungarian designs to Japanese precision.
- Music-Synchronized Pyrotechnics: Every performance combines a compulsory musical piece with a freestyle soundtrack. Shells, fountains and aerial effects are timed to the music, and the display fills the full width of the gardens.
- The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen: The Baroque Great Garden, with its geometric flowerbeds, hedge theatre, golden statues and Great Fountain, makes an unusually elegant setting for a fireworks show.
- Jury & Title: A professional jury scores each show, and the season’s winner is announced after the final evening in September. The competition draws some of the world’s best-known fireworks companies.
Tips for Visitors & Trip Planning:
- Tickets: Entry is by advance ticket only, sold online and at Hannover’s Tourist Information. Evenings often sell out weeks ahead. Premium front-row tickets are also available for the best view.
- Arrive Early: The gates open well before sunset. Come early to explore the gardens in the evening light and grab a good spot facing the display area. Food and drink stands are set up around the grounds.
- Getting There: Herrenhausen is just northwest of the city centre. Stadtbahn lines 4 and 5 stop at Herrenhäuser Gärten, right by the entrance, and it’s the easiest way to go, because parking nearby is very limited on competition nights.
- What to Wear: Wear comfortable shoes for the gravel paths, and bring a warm layer, since evenings can turn cool, especially at the spring and September shows.
- Accommodation: Hannover has a wide range of hotels close to the main station and the city centre, just a few tram stops from the gardens. Rooms get tighter on weekends that clash with the city’s big trade fairs, so booking well in advance is strongly recommended.
- Explore Hannover: Spend an extra day in Hannover’s rebuilt Old Town and at the New Town Hall with its curved elevator up the dome, or relax by the Maschsee lake — browse top Hannover tours and activities here.
The competing teams, ticket sales and the full season program are published on the official competition website. See details below, under “Event Related Information” section.
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