Baltimore New Year's Eve Fireworks Set To Dazzle Crowds
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Preparations are underway for Baltimore's New Year's Eve spectacular as a blast of colorful fireworks will light up the city's skyline to ring in 2018.
It takes several months to plan and choreograph the fireworks show, and it lasts 15 magical minutes starting at midnight Jan. 1.
"Start planning really early, start planning with the fireworks company and make sure we have all the permits in place," said Megan Bosse of Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, who are producing the New Year's spectacular. "We always have a big logistics meeting every year, with the fire and police department, and the fireworks company, to make sure it all comes together and we are taking the right precautions for everything."
The company Pyrotecnico is in charge of the fireworks.
"Our show designer, he had all the real fun being creative and actually having the picture in his mind or even through some of our SIM software to see what it's going to look like with the music," said Robert Mays, Pyrotecnico lead technician.
The crews are loading fireworks onto two barges that will be placed in the Inner Harbor.
"The challenge on this particular show is to try and stay warm. Yesterday, it was 18 degrees when we started in the morning, it was cold, I mean, your fingers. It's a lot of little tedious handwork, wiring and stuff," Mays said.
Baltimore's New Year's celebration attracts thousands of people every year.
"That's probably the best thing. It's the kind of thing that makes a guy want to do something like this, to know that you please that many people," Mays said.
The best place to view the fireworks is anywhere along the Inner Harbor promenade.
Watch WJZ's annual New Year's Eve special Sunday beginning at 11 p.m. We will bring you all the sights and sounds from the Inner Harbor, including the spectacular fireworks show at midnight.
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