Hi Paul, it's Trav.

I decided to go through the registration process and it worked out nicely! thanks a lot for your encouragement, Paul. Does this mean I'm a member? Cooooooooool!

Anyway, I have some questions and comments.

How many displays(countries) are there per year? Since I've been coming to the competition since 1990 and there has usually been around ranging from 7 to 9 countries. Recently in the past 6 to 7 years, the competition has been steady at 8 to 9 countries anually.

Another thing about the La Ronde fireworks ending is did you really and trully think that more was going to come out in the end? After such a fearsome and magnificent and powerful ending, I thought that was the end, then I saw practically everyone starting to leave, includung myself. Then I looked back.........astonished that it wasn't through with us yet and we were going to be really in for it now! But after seeing it, it looked more like leftover fireworks. You should have seen me, I said to myself, THAT WASN'T THE ENDING??????!!!!!!! Then I said, this is Spain #2 with the crazy faux finale and the best is yet to come! I think Spain wanted us to turn away and then drive us up the walls 2 years ago. Anyway, all I'm saying is that it caught a lot of people off guard.

I really didn't know anything much about the competition until the night I went to La Ronde in 1990. Suddenly all the rides closed and I was wonderind what was going on...maybe a power failure, than all of a sudden at 10:00P.M, FIREWORKS!!! My family and I enjoyed it so so much, especially me. Although I was only 6 years of age at the time, I used to be terrified of fireworks for roughly 2 years and I eventually got used to it. sigh... I used to really cry a lot, lol. Anyway, ever since then I've been watching the fireworks from the same old place, on Lorimier. That's how I became such a big fan an now I'm 19 years old and still attending and I encourage my family to go, as well as friends, even when there's the threat of rain, we take our chances, and this year we got lucky with great weather except for the one(England).

Another question, do you remember France in 1993? They were by far the loudest fireworks display I have ever seen, even up till now with the displays I see before me today, France of 93 is the loudest. And to top it off they had tones and tones of smoke and the only(probably) country to shoot out thousands of cardboard pieces into the air! Up till know I still sometimes believe that they might actually do that again (yeah right). I think it's illegal or maybe it's health issues for some people which is important. Whatever. That year in your report, you mentioned that for most salutes, you can feel a THUMP in your chest! That is very true. It is one of the displays I will never ever forget, it was very VERY powerful indeed. Also, an incrdible ending!

As a final note, I do believe that the La Ronde fireworks display did represent and dedicate it's show towards childre with cancer, as well as their families. I thought the show was well done, both as entertainment and symbolically.

It was also very nice to meet and talk to you through this forum, Paul, and also to other fireworks enthusiasts like Enkil, Frederick and many others. Although I've been reading your reports for a long time, I think for the most part, you have my tastes. BTW, thx for all your replies, I really appreciate it.

I'm thinking about participating in the competition page, not sure though. Anyway, Reply soon.

BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Trav.

I will put a page up in the next few days which lists every single competitor, plus theme, since the competition began in 1985.

In the past 10 years, there have been usually between 7 and 9 competitors, with 8 being the most usual number; though there have been times with 8 competitors but an opening and closing display, making a total of 10 displays.

The new page will be under the "Information" section.

Paul.

Thx a lot Paul.

Trav.

I wonder what happened to the opening show, anyway I guess next year there will be 8 or 9 competitors, like the usual, but for some odd reason, I feel next year we will be in for a treat!

Trav.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

thats way theres an opening display sometimes, now i understand

How do they determine when to do opening displays? I still don't get it. My guess is that it only happens when they're a country short and therefore substititue it with an opening show, I think.

Paul, how is it determined?

Trav.

OOPS!, sorry, went in anonymously, anyway, nevermind that.

Forgot to log in

Trav.

I'm not sure what the criterion is for deciding if there's an opening show. It could be that they had a country lined up for a competition display but, for some reason, that company doing that display had to pull out. This has happened in the past, but in that case, another company was found to replace the one that pulled out.

Anyway, all that matters is that we get to see a good number of displays, rather than a smaller number

Paul.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,

I see, that's what I thought, except I anticipated that sometimes they were a country short and therefore replace it with an opening show in order to keep the competition balanced.

But anyway, your explanation seems logical enough.

You know, sometimes I think we're extremely lucky to have a big time fireworks competition right here in Montreal! It's just perfect for the city itself and I think it's our biggest attractions, or if not, definenately one of the biggest. Sigh........I think we're spoilt,lol, that's a good thing!

Trav.