Back in the olden days, when I lived in Banff, I was lucky enough to be able to watch fireworks usually twice a year. Once on July 1st for Dominion Day, oops sorry, make that "Canada Day" (whatever that is supposed to mean), and once more on New Years Eve.
As small town fireworks go, I think Banff's are pretty good. Nothing like the mega-fireworks I saw once in Japan but definitely somewhat awesome. One thing that makes the Banff fireworks better than most, if only in one particular aspect, is the fact that they happen in a small town which is immediately surrounded by large mountains on all sides. This results in a huge echo effect and makes the mildy spectacular visuals sound like so much more. Each boom lasts for several seconds as it bounces between the peaks and into your ears multiple times.
Also, they launch them from the recreation grounds which are right beside where I lived so I just had to step outside and I was right there. As I filmed this particluar display I noticed many small pieces of glowing paper falling from the sky all around me and when I returned home I did indeed find several bits of fallout in my hair.
The fireworks in this clip were on neither July 1st nor December 31st. They were on September 1, 2005 for a kind of celebration that happens only every hundred years or so. If you remember or can guess the occasion please post it in the comments if you like. (There is a big hint at about 3:36 into the clip.)
They are much more impressive in their original video size. Shrinking the video to put it here has robbed it of much of its visual splendor but the sound has suffered less I think. Even though the shock waves I felt that night did not even make it on to the video tape you can still get a fairly good idea of what it sounded like, echoes and all, if you listen through a good set of headphones.
I know it's nothing like the real thing live and in person but I thought I'd post it anyway. I hope you enjoy it.
Have a Happy New Year everyone!
6 comments:
That was really cool. We just may turn that on to watch tomorrow night. My hunch is that they were to celebrate Alberta's Centennial.
You're absolutely right Tanis, Alberta's centennial it was.
Dang it Tanis, I'm always one step behind.
Thanks for the video Lorin!
Chad
Great video Lorin. Impressive!
Great video...now I don't feel like I missed out this year.
I was in Los Vegas one year during the 4th of July celebrations. I was anticipating the fireworks display to be grand and overdone, incomparible really--like most things in vegas are...I was quite dissapointed...all the lights from the strip really distracted and it was all I could do to watch the whole display. BOORING!!!
I think the best fireworks show I have seen was in the village of Wabamun (outside of Edmonton)--I believe that small towns are where it is at for firework shows. The reflection off the lake was also quite spectacular.
Crystal - I can see the lights of Vegas being a serious detriment to any fireworks there.
Wabamun, on the other hand, is truly out in the middle of nowhere with only the lights atop the smokestacks of the power plant able to attempt any competition with the fireworks.
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