Lit Up: Five Fireworks Shows That Dazzle the Planet
Spoiler alert: Seattle Comes Out on Top
By Natalie Compagno and Greg Freitas July 1, 2025
This week, Seattleites gear up to celebrate our nation’s birthday with classic Fourth of July traditions. Some will grill salmon on the rooftop of a houseboat, while others gather in parks with burgers and Seattle Dogs, while hikers swap picnic blankets for mountain views. But as the sun dips behind the Olympics, everyone will turn their attention to the sky, where dazzling pyrotechnics bloom over Lake Union and around the city.
For true fireworks fanatics — or those dreaming of future trips — here are five of the most spectacular shows around the world.
No. 5 — Sydney Opera House – New Year’s Eve, Australia
Sydney is among the first major cities in the world to welcome the New Year — 17 hours ahead of Seattle — which makes its lavish harbor display feel like a global starting pistol. Fireworks explode over the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in a coordinated spectacle, with choreographed music and viewing areas ranging from picnic-friendly parks to luxury harbor cruises.
No. 4 — Eiffel Tower – Bastille Day, Paris, France
Each July 14, France celebrates the storming of the Bastille and the start of the French Revolution with music, military parades, and a pyrotechnic show that rivals any on Earth. The Eiffel Tower becomes a glittering launch pad for fireworks francophile — often paired with drone shows and classical music — watched from the Champs-de-Mars or aboard Seine River boats — avec une bouteille de vin rosé, bien sûr.
No. 3 — Honda Celebration of Light – Vancouver, Canada
Just north of the border, this international competition turns Vancouver’s English Bay into a stage for firework artistry over three nights in July. In 2025, teams from Yukon, Québec, and Nova Scotia will face off in an all-Canadian showdown, with previous winners including the United Kingdom and the Philippines having set a high bar in recent years.
No. 2 — Katakai Matsuri: Asahara Shrine Autumn Grand Festival – Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Held each September on the second Saturday in the town of Katakai, this centuries-old festival began as a sacred offering to the gods of Asahara Shrine and has grown into one of Japan’s most iconic autumn spectacles. The town is famous for launching the yonshakudam — the world’s largest firework — with a staggering 800-meter-wide burst, making Katakai a pilgrimage site for fireworks fanatics worldwide.
No. 1 — Seafair 4th of July – Lake Union, Seattle, USA
Our hometown celebration earns top honors not just for its jaw-dropping finale, but for the all-day energy leading up to it: live music, beer gardens, food trucks, and families gathering across Gas Works and Lake Union parks. Lake Union remains one of the most unique and lively bodies of water in the world: seaplanes buzzing overhead alongside bald eagles and great blue herons, with paddleboards, kayaks, and floaties lazily jockeying for position. With fireworks reflecting off the water as residents and visitors throng around the lake, Seattle’s show feels both intimate and immense — our city’s gift to itself and anyone lucky enough to be here for it.
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