The Grand Fireworks Display
The 2007 Fireworks will be on Saturday 3 November (weather permitting)(be there at 1830 hrs for preliminary events - fireworks display starts 1930 hrs)
Click on images to see larger versions of photos below
 Photo courtesy of Alex Ramsay © 2004 all rights reserved www.alexramsayphotography.com |
It is not every year that my wife and I have been able to attend the annual Guy Fawkes night fireworks display in Polperro, but in 2004 we did and it was such an impressive and enjoyable display that I thought it merited at least a brief report. Photographs rarely do justice to fireworks displays - so I didn't bother to take a camera - but fortunately professional photographer Alex Ramsay did and has kindly agreed to allow some of his excellent photos to be published on this page - click on the images for bigger and even more impressive photos. The display was not actually on Guy Fawkes Night (5 November) but just one day later, so as to be on a Saturday night when more people would be able to attend.
 Photo Alex Ramsay © 2004 |
Proceedings kicked off with the traditional bonfire held on the beach and this cast a wonderful golden glow on many of the houses and other buildings around the harbour wall and entrance and highlighted just how many folk had turned out to enjoy this traditional November celebration.
A key component of a decent firework display is, of course, the weather and it could hardly have been much better last night - in the harbour area it was practically dead calm and the temperature at 7.30 pm was surprisingly mild. When the fireworks display got under way it became obvious that there was just a gentle breeze in the vicinity of Peak Rock from which the fireworks were launched and that was taking the smoke etc out to sea and giving perfect clarity to the display for the many hundreds who were watching it - the exact number is obviously difficult to ascertain but I'm told that it may have been the best attended yet.
 Photo courtesy of Alex Ramsay © 2004 all rights reserved www.alexramsayphotography.com |
 Photo Alex Ramsay © 2004 all rights reserved |
Full marks must go to the intrepid souls who planned and managed the display, which lasted nearly a quarter of an hour and just got bigger, better and higher as it progressed. The succession of firings was near faultless and I only detected one pause - and no more than a second or so at that. Otherwise the display just piled on more light, stars, noise and spectacle as every second ticked away.
It is only when attending a fireworks display like this that it really comes home to you that no individual or family, or even combination of families can stage their own fireworks display to match even a few seconds of a professional display of this quality. And watched in the camaraderie of an appreciative crowd and from the perfect arena of Polperro harbour it made a memorable evening indeed.
 Photo courtesy of Alex Ramsay © 2004 all rights reserved www.alexramsayphotography.com |
 Photo Alex Ramsay © 2004 all rights reserved |
I hope that those who attended were as generous in their contributions as the display deserved so another one can be put on soon. When is it - New Year's Eve? Or have we got to wait a whole year?
Well, unfortunately, it's a whole year - the only time there has been an "official" village display of this quality on New Year's Eve was a couple of years ago when bad weather had caused the Guy Fawkes night display to be cancelled and the postponed date had also had to be cancelled due to bad weather! A display like this costs a lot of dosh - around £2500 in fact - and I'm told that if it were not for the fact that the fireworks team, as Polperrians, do it for the village "at cost" with no reward for themselves, the commercial rate for a show of this size, complexity and duration would be more like £4000. The collections in buckets on the night raise an important part of the cost but the bulk comes from fund-raising during the whole year, especially Pub Quiz Nights and donations from individuals. If you would like to contribute you can do so by sending your donation to the Fireworks Committee c/o Tony White, Postmaster, Polperro (you can telephone Tony on 01503 272 225 or e-mail tonywhite@polperro.org).
Bob Tarr, webmaster, 7 November 2004 with later additions up
to 13 July 2007
Don't forget - the 2007 display will be on Saturday 3 November 1830 hrs
for 1930 hrs (7.30 pm).
If you have any comments to add - or more photos of the display or other
aspects of Polperro , please contact me - see homepage for contact details
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