NYE Firework Displays are Bigger and Brighter as Cities Around the World Ring in 2025
January 1, 2025
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Fireworks displays are appearing in cities across the world to celebrate the arrival of 2025 in New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Why It Matters
Fireworks are traditionally used to celebrate the New Year and other major events in cities across the world, although light displays using technology like drones have emerged as an increasingly popular alternative.
What To Know
While dramatic New Year’s fireworks displays are expected in major cities across the United States later in the night, residents of the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia were among the first to ring in 2025.
Additional celebrations are taking place in other parts of the world later due to time zone differences.
Australia Rings in the New Year With 2025’s Earliest Major Fireworks Show
A fireworks display near the iconic Sydney Opera House was one of the earliest 2025 celebrations to take place, with the city being 16 hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone.
The following photos from Getty reveal the fireworks show late on Tuesday night and early on Wednesday morning at Sydney Harbor, where an estimated 1 million people watched the display:
A massive fireworks display rings in the New Year in Sydney, Australia, in the early morning of January 1, 2025. A massive fireworks display rings in the New Year in Sydney, Australia, in the early morning of January 1, 2025. Brook Mitchell
The Sydney Opera House is pictured to the right amid a dramatic New Year’s fireworks display in Sydney, Australia, on January 1, 2025. The Sydney Opera House is pictured to the right amid a dramatic New Year’s fireworks display in Sydney, Australia, on January 1, 2025. Brook Mitchell
The night sky is illuminated in this additional image of the New Year’s fireworks display in Sydney, Australia, on January 1, 2025. The night sky is illuminated in this additional image of the New Year’s fireworks display in Sydney, Australia, on January 1, 2025. Brook Mitchell
Fireworks Light Up Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor in 2025 Celebration
A massive fireworks celebration was viewable in Hong Kong hours after the show in Sydney. Images from Getty show Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor ringing in the New Year with a colorful display.
Fireworks and a display reading “2025” are pictured during New Year’s celebrations in Hong Kong on January 1, 2025. Fireworks and a display reading “2025” are pictured during New Year’s celebrations in Hong Kong on January 1, 2025. MAY JAMES/AFP
Fireworks explode at the stroke of midnight above Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on January 1, 2025. Fireworks explode at the stroke of midnight above Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on January 1, 2025. MAY JAMES/AFP
Skyscrapers in Makati, a city in the Manila metro region, glowed a bright yellow during a New Year’s fireworks and light show celebration near the Philippines capital on Tuesday night.
The display is shown in the following photos from Getty:
Skyscrapers glow during a New Year’s fireworks and light show in Makati, Philippines, on January 1, 2025. Skyscrapers glow during a New Year’s fireworks and light show in Makati, Philippines, on January 1, 2025. Ezra Acayan
A burst of fireworks is pictured above glowing buildings during a Manila metro area New Year’s celebration in the Philippines on January 1, 2025. A burst of fireworks is pictured above glowing buildings during a Manila metro area New Year’s celebration in the Philippines on January 1, 2025. Ezra Acayan
Residents of Jakarta Celebrate the New Year With Fireworks Show at Beach
The following photos show locals enjoying fireworks at Ancol Beach in Jakarta to celebrate the beginning of 2025 in Indonesia:
Locals celebrate the New Year with a fireworks display at Ancol Beach in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 1, 2025. Locals celebrate the New Year with a fireworks display at Ancol Beach in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 1, 2025. YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP
An additional view of locals enjoying the fireworks show at Ancol Beach in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 1, 2025 An additional view of locals enjoying the fireworks show at Ancol Beach in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 1, 2025 YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP
Dubai Reveals Spectacular New Year’s Display at World’s Tallest Building
The following photo from Getty shows Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, displaying the year “2025” amid a fireworks display and light show in the early morning of January 1, 2025:
A New Year’s 2025 fireworks and light display is pictured at Burj Khalifa in Dubai on January 1, 2025. A New Year’s 2025 fireworks and light display is pictured at Burj Khalifa in Dubai on January 1, 2025. FADEL SENNA/AFP
This additional view of the show features a different part of the light display on and near Burj Khalifa:
Burj Khalifa is pictured during a fireworks and light show in Dubai on January 1, 2025. Burj Khalifa is pictured during a fireworks and light show in Dubai on January 1, 2025. FADEL SENNA/AFP
Fireworks and a Pyongyang ‘Dance Party’ Ring in the New Year for North Korea
This photo from Getty shows the flag of North Korea flying above a fireworks display at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on January 1, 2025:
Spectators are pictured at a New Year’s fireworks display in Pyongyang, North Korea, on January 1, 2025. Spectators are pictured at a New Year’s fireworks display in Pyongyang, North Korea, on January 1, 2025. KIM WON JIN/AFP
Shortly before the fireworks display, a likely choreographed “dance party” took place at Kim Il Sung Square:
A New Year’s Eve “dance party” is pictured at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on December 31, 2024. A New Year’s Eve “dance party” is pictured at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on December 31, 2024. KIM WON JIN/AFP
Fireworks Explode Above the Great Pyramids in Egypt
A 2025 New Year’s celebration near Cairo included a fireworks and light show above the pyramids at Giza, as shown in the following pictures from Getty:
Fireworks light up the sky above the pyramids in Giza, Egypt, during a celebration late on December 31, 2024. Fireworks light up the sky above the pyramids in Giza, Egypt, during a celebration late on December 31, 2024. KHALED DESOUKI/AFP
The Great Pyramid of Giza is shown near a New Year’s Eve fireworks and light display on December 31, 2024. The Great Pyramid of Giza is shown near a New Year’s Eve fireworks and light display on December 31, 2024. KHALED DESOUKI/AFP
The Atomium Lights Up During a New Year’s Display in Belgium
The following pictures from Getty show LED lighting on the Atomium landmark complementing a celebratory light show late on New Year’s Eve in Brussels, Belgium:
The Atomium is pictured during a fireworks and light show in Brussels, Belgium, on December 31, 2024. The Atomium is pictured during a fireworks and light show in Brussels, Belgium, on December 31, 2024. HATIM KAGHAT/BELGA MAG/AFP
Sparkling white lights are pictured in the sky above the Atomium during a New Year’s Eve celebration in Brussels, Belgium, on December 31, 2024. Sparkling white lights are pictured in the sky above the Atomium during a New Year’s Eve celebration in Brussels, Belgium, on December 31, 2024. HATIM KAGHAT/BELGA MAG/AFP
London’s Big Ben Rings in the New Year Amid Fireworks and Light Show
New Year’s celebrations took place at the U.K. capital slightly after the festivities in Belgium due to a one-hour time difference. These photos from Getty show landmarks like Big Ben and the London Eye during a colorful display:
A fireworks and light show is pictured behind Big Ben, with the London Eye visible in the distance in London, England, in the early morning of January 1, 2025. A fireworks and light show is pictured behind Big Ben, with the London Eye visible in the distance in London, England, in the early morning of January 1, 2025. Carl Court
The image shows a wider view of the fireworks and light show in London, England, just after midnight on January 1, 2025. The image shows a wider view of the fireworks and light show in London, England, just after midnight on January 1, 2025. ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP
Fireworks Explode in Rio de Janeiro During One of the Earliest New Year’s Celebrations in the Americas
Parts of South America and the Caribbean were the next to celebrate 2025 on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The following Getty images show celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
A large crowd gathers on Copacabana beach to watch a fireworks display in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 1, 2025. A large crowd gathers on Copacabana beach to watch a fireworks display in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 1, 2025. Wagner Meier
An aerial view shows the Christ The Redeemer statue as fireworks explode all over the city during New Year’s celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early on January 1, 2025. An aerial view shows the Christ The Redeemer statue as fireworks explode all over the city during New Year’s celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early on January 1, 2025. MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP
What People Are Saying
Atmospheric chemist and pollution expert Peter Brimblecombe, author of a 2023 paper on pollution caused by fireworks displays in Honolulu, recently told the BBC that New Year’s fireworks displays increasing air pollution is a “problem” despite the popularity of the celebrations:
“Definitely, pollutant loads increase during the events,” Brimblecombe said in an article published by the BBC on Tuesday. “Poor air quality and the associated health risks have been part of New Year’s Eve on Oahu [in Hawaii] for many years. And it remains a problem that continues to draw attention.”
Drone light shows and fireworks that are specifically made to produce less smoke are more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional fireworks.
What Happens Next
Time zones make North America among the last parts of the world to celebrate the new year. Major fireworks and light shows are expected to take place in New York City, Toronto, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago and other cities in the U.S. and Canada when the clock ticks over to 2025.
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