Hello everyone!

From what I hear about next year, it's going to be a blast!

Paul had mentioned that every competitor next year are all Gold Jupiter winners! I don't if it is for sure, yet, but, I think it will happen. Isn't that out of this world?!

Since it's going to be the 20th anniversary of the Mondial SAQ Fireworks Competition in Montreal, since 1985, I have a feeling it's going to be very intense and exciting, and since all teams are gold Jupiter winners, I suspect it will be tight for winners to be chosen, maybe possibly, even more tight than this year.

I also heard another intense rumour, that there will be 2 Spanish displays! I love and enjoy Spain so much, and the thought of having 2 Spanish displays, stirs me up! As I said many times before, Spain is definetely one of my top personal favorite, especially after leaving me breathless back in 2001!!!!!

So far, this what I heard, however, I don't know if all this will actually happen, but I think it will, since next year is the 20th birthday of the competition!

If you guys know anything else, like rumours about next year, please feel free to post it!

See ya!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trav.

Well, I've heard that Pirotecnia Igual from Spain will be participating next year. That show will be the one I'll most look forward to. And it WILL be the 20th competition! I predict it will be the most interesting, exciting and competitive festival ever!

Lots of teams are waiting for 2004 to compete for the gold Jupiter.

ouff u guys make it sound as it will be the best year hehe

well next summer another cousins of mine will come this ones r from my mothers family, heres a problem we might go to vacation in July, i might miss some stuff

althro my family will be very busy for fireworks, ill have to go with other ppl
ohh anwyays theres still alot time, i cant wait!

So, if that's true, that will be a show I will also definetely look foward to. Pirotechnia Igual was the same Spanish company for Spain in 2001, and yes, they left me trembling and breathless! I thought I was going to collapse! lol! I believe it was a lot more intense than the Panzera finale this year!

I remember the ending so well. The Faux Finale seemed like the real thing, but I knew it wasn't over, because the Ferris Wheel didn't come back on yet!!

When it came, IT CAME, like an atomic bomb! I thought the world was coming to an end!!!

However, since then, I haven't seen or heard from them, so I really hope that they do, in fact, come back next year, and hopefully we will get 2 Spanish displays, if the rumour is true.

Anyway, Enkil, I hope you get to see the shows in July next year, that's the climax of the whole competition! Try to encourage your whole family to go, that will be a lot of fun! That's what I'm going to attempt to do!

Like I was saying before, I think all teams are going to be previous Gold Jupiter winners from the past, so it will be very tight next year to choose winners and I think all the finales will have an incredible BIG BANG!

So, that's what I think about next year. Spain all the way!!!

Reply soon!

Cheers!

Trav.

Je pense que la rumeur d'une 20e édition axée sur des concurrents ayant déjà remporté le Jupiter d'or se confirmera: je l'ai aussi entendue et Georges Lamon la rapportait aussi sur son site web, au moment où l'édition 2003 prenait fin.

Je serais toutefois surpris (bien qu'il s'agirait d'une agréable surprise!) que deux firmes espagnoles soient invitées: un choix se fera sans doute entre Pirotécnia Caballer (Jupiter d'or 1986, 1993) et Pirotécnia Igual (1988, 2001), des firmes ayant aussi remporté de nombreux Jupiter d'argent et de bronze.

On pourrait aussi s'attendre à retrouver, pour notre plus grand bonheur, la firme Performance Pyrotechnics Associates (États-Unis, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999), Royal Pyrotechnie (Canada, 2003), Ipon SRL (Italie, 1997), Weco (Allemagne, 2000), la Société Lacroix-Ruggieri (France, 1985, 1990, 2002), JNS Pyrotechniek (Pays-Bas/Hollande, 1995) et Sunny International (Chine, 1992).

À ces concurrents devraient s'ajouter au moins une recrue. D'après une rumeur entendue l'été dernier, une firme suédoise ferait son entrée à Montréal en 2003.

Je crois que le Concours international de Cannes ambitionne depuis longtemps de reléguer Montréal au second rang en devenant le plus prestigieux. Là-bas, on remet une Vestale d'argent pendant quelques années, puis tous les récipiendaires du prix compétitionnent entre eux pour obtenir la Vestale d'or, remise tous les 4 ou 5 ans. En ne réunissant que des récipiendaires du Jupiter d'or en 2004, le Mondial SAQ présenterait sûrement une compétition beaucoup plus relevée que celle présentée à Cannes.

Frédérick

Yes, you are very right, Frederick!

I just looked at the winners since 1985 and I think that some of them will be back next year, hopefully!

Tough decision between Pirotechnia Igual and Pirotechnia Caballer for Spain, but either way, both of these Spanish firms usually leave us trembling, not to mention, sometimes the U.S!

Now, what I want to know is, do you guys remember Holland in 1995?

That was also an excellent display! They also had an incredible finale and were pretty intense throughout! So, I hope they come back as well!

Oh yeah, I was wondering, do you think that they will present the "Special Awards" again next year, Frederick?

I'm a little curious about that, since it's the 20th anniversary.

Anyway, thx for the info, Frederick!

Reply soon.

Trav.

Sweden!?!?!!?!?! my cousins might come next summer from Sweden!!

i can feel next year will be good, i made some lil reservations with my friend in case i miss some displays i could go with him

anyways, i feel like the competition will be back in a few weeks, summer is still here, everytime i think about it, i say to myself... stop Robert!! (my name is Robert not Enkil btw) theres still winter to pass!! grrr i feel like its been one year already i want to go i miss those days already!!!!!!!

I went to Cannes in 2001 and I saw one of the show for what they call "Le Festival d'Art Pyrotechnique de Cannes", and believe me, Montreal has nothing to envy from Cannes!

You don't actually feel it's a competition in Cannes, because there is no "centerpiece". I just felt like watching ordinary fireworks on the sidewalk, because that's all they have... sidewalks and a beach. In Montreal, you are seated at Laronde, and the fireworks take place at the lake. It is much more organized and Cannes doesn't get the same corporate funding that we do. There are also less participants then in Montreal, so we're lucky to have all those teams to compete year after year. And most of all, how can we not LOVE the backdrop of downtown Montreal and the Jacques Cartier bridge? Montreal is a fantastic stage for fireworks.

Oh, and I found the overall schedule of next year's competition on www.tourisme-montreal.org...
They say it will go from June 21st to July 30th
Is it confirmed?

I don't think the schedule is fully confirmed until the end of the year. However, the past two years have used the same schedule template so it could well be the same next year. Even if it isn't absolutely confirmed (the actual number of displays is probably the most likely variable) at least it gives people a good idea of when the displays will be shot.

I will follow up on this later in the week.

Paul.

Regarding the question of whether Cannes can take the crown from Montreal as the most prestigious pyromusical competition, I think it will have its work cut out. The budget per display in Montreal is 50% higher than the displays in Cannes, though this is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the Montreal displays are longer than the Cannes ones (so the intensity may be less different than the budget would imply).

As for the rumours about next year's Montreal entrants, as far as I know, all the companies will be previous gold jupiter winners and that means there will be no new recruits. As for the rumours about a certain Swedish company, there is some truth to them since I met with people from this company. As for when they will compete, I can't answer that but think that it won't be before 2004.

Finally, the rumours on the number of Spanish entrants, the more the merrier! Let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if there are two. As for the final line-up, Fred has listed nine companies - which is the same number that competed this year. This would give us another 10 display season assuming a Panzera closing show. There is still Marutamaya Ogatsu of Japan in the previous gold winners list (though their Gold Jupiter display was not a pyromusical). Of the other previous gold winners, some don't exist anymore and one of the ones that does I doubt very much will be seen in Montreal again.

There's no doubt that next year's season will be a don't miss one!

Paul.

Yes, you are correct, Montreal is the perfect place for a grand fireworks competition and yes, we are lucky, year after year, to get so many displays. It's also true that Cannes doesn't have the corporate funding that we possess.

Me personally, I love the city, the bridge and our fantastic amusement park as a background for the Mondial SAQ!

I've heard about the displays in Cannes. My friend had gone there on vacation one year and he mentioned some fireworks displays there. He said that they weren't all that bad, rather, entertaining, like all fireworks displays! But, I agree with you, it's a whole lot different than here. Here in Montreal, is the biggest fireworks competition in the world! So, I feel lucky to be living in Montreal!

As for the schedule of next year's competition, I don't think that will be the confirmed actual schedule because the competition this year started on June 21st and ended on July 30th, so, I doubt it will be the same initial dates as provided in this year.

I think the actual schedule will be notified in the end of January. I can't wait! Next year is really heating up!

I also have a feeling that next year, every display may have a potential BIG BANG of a finale, not including Panzera because that always ends with an incredible ending! But, in general, since every display will consist of Gold Jupiter winning firm next year, for the occasion, I suspect an intense year with plenty of action and suspense, thus, leaving us all breathless!!!

For a fact, I know one of my top favorite countries will be back! Spain with 2 choices of great firms: Pirotechnia Caballer and Pirotechnia Igual!!!

Can't wait!

Trav.

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

WHATEVER!

La Rondes fireworks r always the best and the only the best one!

like Travis said, it got the city! the beautiful good old bridge and how can i forgot this? LA RONDE!!!! La Ronde is tha best, no matter whatever amus. park u name, (well maybe not true, but u just got to love La Ronde :biglol

anyways i think im just excited i just watched Canadian Idols final episode

I strongly agree with Paul, NEXT YEAR IS A YEAR YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS!!!!!!

This is probably going to be a far more intense year than any other! Don't worry you guys, no one can take our title as the #1 Pyromusical Fireworks Competition in the world! lol

This just keeps getting better by the minute! Enkil, I can't wait till Winter is over too. Yes Paul, the more Spanish firms, the better! lol

Oh yeah, Paul, I know I've been attending the competiton sice 1990, but I don't quite recall if there was anything grand when the competition was in its 10th anniversary, did anything big happen in 1994?

Reply soon!

Trav.

I don't recall anything special in 1994 for the 10th anniversary, but in the years 1993-1995, I watched from just next to the Jacques Cartier bridge. I only started going on site at La Ronde in 1996. There were some celebrations to mark the 15th anniversary in 1999 though - I have a special badge (pin) to commemorate it.

Paul.

Yes, it's true, I don't recall much in 1994, when I was there that year.

Now that you mention it, I think I do remember some celebrations going on in 1999, but I have an odd feeling that it will be out of this world, next year, for the 20th anniversary.

Hey Paul, do you think that they will bring back the "Special Awards" again next year, for the 20th anniversary of the competition?

Just occured to me and I was a little curious about them.

Trav.

I don't think so. There haven't been any special awards made since Six Flags took over running La Ronde and I suspect that this type of award won't be re-introduced.

By the way, I do have a good idea who's going to be in the competition next summer - even spoke to some of the designers at the Symposium who are thinking about their displays already, but, of course, I'm sworn to secrecy

Paul.

Well Paul, although the suspense is killing me, maybe it's best if you don't tell me anything because it will keep me looking foward to next year in suprise, but what you could tell me is, is it looking very good to what you have seen? Don't know about you, but I really can't wait until June 2004!

Regards,

Trav.