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Nighttime fireworks will draw crowds to Isle of Man capital
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Nighttime fireworks will draw crowds to Isle of Man capital

Large crowds are expected on the seafront in the Isle of Man capital for a nighttime fireworks display with a “film music” theme.

Douglas Council will begin the event at 19:00 GMT, with celebrations on Harris Walk focused around the war memorial area.

Mayor Natalie Byron-Teare said the annual expo brought together “a vast majority of the community” in the city.

The fireworks will be launched from the beach again this year, after problems caused by tide times led to them being launched from a barge in the bay in 2023.

Byron-Teare said: “Douglas is a huge bay, and with the tides the barge seemed very far out in the bay, and so the display seemed much smaller than we had hoped.

“This year the festival will take place on the beach again, which will hopefully have a much better impact on spectators,” she added.

Councilor Byron-Teare explained that the music to accompany the films’ themes was chosen because it would “hopefully appeal to everyone”.

“Last year the music was a little more modern, maybe more aimed at the younger generation, but this year we think the theme of the film is for everyone,” she said .

The event will begin with the traditional competition for the best guy, organized by the war memorial from 6:45 p.m.

Douglas Council has asked people not to bring pets or their own fireworks to the show, including sparklers.

People were also advised to avoid Douglas and Onchan Head at the time of the event due to traffic congestion concerns.