The Festival

From the Estérel mountains to the Croisette tip, the Cannes harbor is an incomparable setting for large-scale events. In 1967, taking advantage of its location and prestige, Cannes decided to organize an international event at the heart of its summer season. From the very first year, the Ruggieri company, undisputed masters of the art of fire, worked closely with the City of Cannes to create a genuine competition, during which international pyrotechnicians each put on a show based on a theme: a synchronized fire with sound background, shot from barges on the sea and associated with the text of a chosen subject.

For the first time, we move on from the haphazard sampling of bombs, rockets and candles, to a well-structured pyrotechnic display. An event that attracts locals and tourists alike, and makes Cannes a forerunner in the field of pyromusical shows.
Creativity, technology, precision and beauty are the watchwords of these magical evenings.

Since 1998, the Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique de Cannes has once again become, along with the Festival de Montréal, one of the world’s leading pyrotechnic events. Observers flock from all over the world to witness increasingly sophisticated displays.

These shows, staged on a 400-metre waterfront in the splendid Bay of Cannes, take on an astonishing dimension. The reflection of the lights on the water and the sound relief that underlines them, transport the public into a fairy-tale world made up of successive tableaux.

The goal was achieved: as soon as the competition resumed, the Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique took on a new lease of life. The festival soon took on its definitive form, and each year, after meticulous canvassing, a rigorous selection was made from among the many entries to choose five or six competitors, depending on the year, to vie for the trophy.