Salisbury Christmas Lights 2008

Salisbury Christmas Lights 2008

Christmas Lights Firework Display 2008, Salisbury City Centre, Wiltshire

After a break in 2007, Salisbury’s Christmas Light’s Event was back with a bang – and a spectacular firework display – in 2008. Home-town boy Christopher Biggins – fresh from jungle victory – was back in his old stomping ground to perform the switch-on and promote the local panto. In previous years the firework display has been fired from the Salisbury Guildhall rooftop, which is very limited in terms of the range of material that can safely be fired there, so Glenn worked with City Centre Management to find an additional firing site for larger fireworks on Debenhams’ rooftop. “The idea was to create a display on two sides of the audience, so that they seemed more involved and central to the show”, says Glenn, “and it also allowed us to fire bigger material than we can fire from the Guldhall and create a more impressive show.”

Access issues meant an early start to crane the kit up onto both rooftops before rush hour, but the show came together very quickly and the crew had some well-earned Christmas shopping time in the afternoon. Meanwhile, photographer David scouted out locations where he would be able to get both rooftops in the same field of vision, and after a chat with the helpful verger of St Thomas’s church he made his way up the church tower before the display took place and was rewarded with stunning views over Wiltshire before the firework display, although he hadn’t banked on bell-ringing practice in the tower below: well done for keeping your tripod steady David!

The fireworks were choreographed to music, with a Christmas soundrack mixed by Midas ProSound, featuring Andrea Bocelli, and both the display and the entire event were hailed as the best ever by both the client and the public.

“A huge thank you to Glenn and team for bringing the city’s skies to life with colour, formation and style” Lindsey Brown, City Centre Manager, Salisbury City Centre