Virgin Money Fireworks Concert 2018 – the curtain comes down on the festival season

Standing on Calton Hill this evening there was a truly international feel to the company around us. And that is what the festival season in Edinburgh is all about. There have been so many people in the city in recent weeks that some have grumbled, while others have welcomed the visitors with open arms. 

No matter what you saw or did during the last three weeks, there is only one way to bring everything to its rightful close. The fireworks.

And these were wonderful tonight designed by Keith Webb of Pyrovision, beginning in red and ending with a host of golden pyrotechnics. In all, 400,000 fireworks were launched above Edinburgh Castle.  In the gardens ( or luckily thanks to whoever brought the radio on Calton Hill) the fireworks were set to the music performed live by Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Clark Rundell. From West Side Story to recognise Leonard Bernstein and Holst’s the Planets which ended the evening.

Over 250,000 spectators are thought to have watched the evening’s entertainment with community groups and organisations from all over the city invited to join VIPs in the gardens to get the best view. Transport to and from the event was also provided for free via local buses, through support from The Castansa Trust.  

In Princes Street Gardens where he enjoyed the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert Fergus Linehan, Director of the Edinburgh International Festival said, ‘This year’s Virgin Money Fireworks Concert was absolutely amongst the best displays of its kind anywhere in the world. I would like to thank Virgin Money for their continued support of this incredible community event, and for their additional support which this year made possible the second of our Edinburgh Schools Concerts. The Fireworks Concert is always an amazing way to end the Edinburgh International Festival and to bring the city’s bumper summer festivals season to a close.’

Andrew Nicholson, Brand Director at Virgin Money said: ‘Virgin Money is delighted to support the world-famous end of Festival Fireworks Concert and it is a fitting finale to what has been another wonderful International Festival. The display was stunning and the performance by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra was breath-taking. Community is at the heart of Virgin Money and it’s amazing to think that the fireworks are enjoyed by so many people across Edinburgh as a fitting farewell to another fabulous festival season.’

Chief Executive of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Gavin Reid said: ‘Many congratulations to the International Festival on their hugely successful programme celebrating the Year of Young People. It was a great pleasure for us to be able to play to so many Primary School pupils from right across Edinburgh at the Virgin Money School Concert in Princes Street Gardens this afternoon. Our thanks to our wonderful Lucy Crowe and Nicky Spence for joining the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on stage this evening. This event is an enormous team effort from the whole of the City and we thank all our technical and health & safety partners, the City of Edinburgh Council and Forth 1 for their valued ongoing support of the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert. We are very proud to work alongside the Edinburgh International Festival with our Major Partner and event sponsor Virgin Money and are delighted with their continued support of the arts in Scotland’.

On the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle Keith Webb said, ‘We’re over the moon at another hugely successful Fireworks Concert. All the hard work and dedication the team has put in was well worth it. After all our efforts, it’s still as thrilling an experience as ever to see it come together.’