Annual professional firework display competition with live entertainment, bands and artists, followed by the fireworks display at Plymouth Hoe.
The British Firework Championships return to Plymouth Hoe on 12 and 13 August 2026. It's an annual competition where professional fireworks companies go head-to-head in front of a judging panel, and it's one of the biggest non-ticketed events in the South West, with over 200,000 people turning up each year. The displays are launched from the Mount Batten Breakwater, so you're watching them go up over the water.
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Each company gets about ten minutes to make their case, and the whole thing is run as a competition rather than just a show. Last year's results set the bar: SelStar Fireworks took the win, with BBB Fireworks in second and 1st Galaxy Fireworks in third. This year's line-up will be fighting for those same spots.
There's more to it than just the fireworks, though. From 17:00 to 20:45, there's a live entertainment programme with bands and artists on stage, and that runs right up until the commentary kicks in and the displays begin. It's an outdoor, family-friendly affair, so it's as much about the afternoon as it is about the night.
On the organisation side, it's run in partnership with Associated British Ports and ZeroUSV, and children and young people in care will play a prominent role this year. It's a free event, so there's no ticket to book — just turn up at the Hoe on the 12th and 13th of August.
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