Taiwan’s landmark Taipei 101 building is planning an NT$60 million (US$2 million) fireworks extravaganza to welcome 2011 as part of upcoming ROC centennial celebrations.
The record-setting show will run for just under five minutes and feature 30,000 fireworks separated into 14 programs, according to Taipei Financial Center Corp. spokesman Liu Chia-hao Dec. 15.
“We aim to celebrate the ROC’s 100th birthday in sparkling style,” Liu said. “Spectators will be able to marvel at such fiery images as a dragon spiraled around the building.”
According to Liu, putting on a display of this magnitude is not without challenges. “Overcoming technical issues associated with mounting 1,800 launching pads and sourcing more environmentally friendly fireworks has not been easy,” he said.
To ensure the evening goes off with a bang, mainland Chinese “explosion events” artist Cai Guoqiang and pyrotechnic experts of the New York-based Fireworks by Grucci have been invited to choreograph the show. “Cai is still working on his final plan but we are confident it will be worth the wait,” Liu said.
Taipei 101 staged its first New Year’s fireworks extravaganza in 2005. The event was an instant hit and is now a fixture on Taiwan’s event calendar. (JSM)