The Ultimate Fireworks display to celebrate Th1rteen, the ultimate rollercoaster, and Alton Towers' 30th birthday...
The Ultimate Fireworks display to celebrate Th1rteen, the ultimate rollercoaster, and Alton Towers' 30th birthday...
The Ultimate Fireworks show
After a four year break, Alton Towers end-of-season fireworks event returned in 2010 with the Ultimate Fireworks display, providing a fitting close to the park's 30th anniversary year.
The park had opened Th13teen as the "ultimate rollercoaster" at the beginning of the season, so it made sense that the opening section of the Ultimate Fireworks display would pay homage to the ride. With the audience on the front lawns lit in green and green lasers shining into the night sky, Th13teen's chilling "don't go alone" slogan echoed all around as fireworks - largely green and yellow - exploded.
Following the spectacular opening, the theme turned to celebrating music from the last three decades, with a cool time travel effect between each section. Starting with the 1980s, the playlist featured Can You Feel It (The Jacksons), Dancing Queen (ABBA), Wake Me Up before You Go (Wham) and (I've Had) The Time of My Life (Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes).
The nineties section began with Let Me Entertain You (Robbie Williams). Following that was Wannabe (Spice Girls), complete fireworks which made giant smiley faces in the air when they burst, before the whole Resort was turned into a giant rave with Darude's Sandstorm.
Bringing everything up to date and into the 2000s, the music featured I've Got a Feeling (Black Eyed Peas), Spinning Around (Kylie Minogue) and Something Kinda Ooh (Girls Aloud). Possibly the most magical moment of the show came with Take That's Greatest Day, as firework fountains emerged from the roofs down Towers Street and the lighting towers surrounding the Front Lawns.
Many of the audience assumed that was the finale, but Alton Towers had one more bit of magic left to unleash, with a spectacular mass of fireworks timed to perfection with the theme park's theme tune, In the Hall of the Mountain King. There could be nothing more fitting to conclude the show.
It felt like Alton Towers threw everything they could into the mix to ensure this really was the Ultimate fireworks display and a perfect way to celebrate the theme park's 30th birthday. And of course, fireworks specialists Jubilee Fireworks did a fantastic job designing, coordinating and ultimately firing the show. Alton Towers much-missed Fireworks are back ... let's hope it becomes an annual event once more, and this is not just a one-off anniversary celebration!
Ultimate Fireworks Spectacular 2010
