(Before scrolling down to read about the St. Mary Fireworks Factory, Mqabba, please turn ON your PC volume control to listen 'We are the Champions' song. Dedicated to the Overall Winners of the Malta International Fireworks Festival 2006)
Some History:
As from many years the village of Mqabba is renowed for the quality of Fireworks it produces during the Festa of Santa Marija in August every year. The St. Mary Fireworks Factory, forming part of the Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band Club, is the location where all the fireworks set up during the festa days are manufactured. The history of this factory dates back to early 1900's. As from the early years this factory is well known in Malta for the inventions in the arts of Pyrotechnics in Malta it has introduced and continues to present to date. Some pyrotechnics originating from this factory are: Invisible Fireworks (you hear the sound, but you see nothing !!). The so called 'Universal' mechanism, used during Ground Fireworks Displays. Colour aerial forms like; 'hearts', 'smiling faces', 'maltese crosses', 'stars', and most recently 'A MAN RUNNING IN THE SKY'. Colour shells forming a sort of 'snail' in the sky (In Maltese called 'Bebbuxu', which means 'Snail'). And much and much more ..... But the most revolutionary innovation for the Maltese island introduced by this Fireworks Factory started in 1997, when Pyrotechnics Synchronised to Music were set up for the first time in Mqabba and Malta on the 14th August 1997. From that year onwards many were those factories who followed the steps of our factory and started to set up displays of Fireworks synchronised to music.
All these fireworks are manufactured by a volunteer group of people from Mqabba, all of them licenced by the Maltese Government to manufacture pyrotechnics. The present factory complex, situated in the countryside at the outskirts of the village of Mqabba, was built in 1963.
In recent history the Saint Mary Fireworks Factory gained a number of important achievements which placed it not only in the front row of the Maltese Art of Pyrotechnics, but also in the front row among the most important Pyrotechnics Manufacturers in Europe. Recent Achievments are: Main Participation during the Malta Fireworks Festival (2003-2006); Displays during the Federation of European Carnival Cities (FECC) Convention (2005); Displays during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) (2005); Overall winners of the 1st Malta International Fireworks Festival (2006).
The First Malta International Fireworks Festival (May 2006):
The Malta Fireworks Festival is an event organized every year by the Malta Tourism Authority. The Festival is held between end of April and beginning of May, normally on a 2-day event during the week-end. During this event different Fireworks Factories around Malta and Gozo are invited to show some of their products. The main attractions during the festival however are Spectacular Pyro-Musical Displays set up by the most renowed factories found on the Maltese Islands. The St. Mary Fireworks Factory of Mqabba, Malta is one of the factories invited to set up one of these Pyro-Musical Shows.
For the first time, during the Festival held in 2005, there was participation of a Fireworks Manufacturer from Italy, namely the 'Orzella Fireworks Factory' from Rome. Up till 2005 this event was only a festival. No competition at all. For the first time in 2006 this Festival was held on a Competition Basis between Maltese Factories and some other European Manufacturers.
The Competing Factories during the 2006 Malta International Fireworks Festival were: The St. Michaels Fireworks Factory from Lija, Malta; The 15th August Pyrotechnics Society from Mosta, Malta; The St. Mary Fireworks Factory from Mqabba, Malta; The Jubilee Fireworks Manufacturer from West Midlands, UK; The Grupo Luso Pirotecnica from Almanda, Portugal. The Competition was held during the evening s between 29th April and 30th April 2006.
The Pyro-Musical Display by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory of Mqabba was held on Saturday evening at 22.15 hrs. The theme of the Show was named 'Dancing Stars over the Water'. Fireworks were synchronised to the music: Symphony No.5 by Ludwig van Beethoven; Themes from 'Star Wars', 'E.T. The Extra Terrestrial', and 'Olympic Fanfare' by John Williams; Radetzky March by Johann Strauss.
The Show presented by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory of Mqabba, Malta was voted 'The Best Overall', both by the Festival Jury, formed of National and International Experts, and by the General Public, through SMS Televoting. The St. Mary Fireworks Factory won FIVE out of Seven Awards available during the Competition (Overall Winner; Best Coregraphy; Best Synchronization to Music; Most Original Show; and Best Show accordinh to the Public Opinion). Mr. Ronald Zammit and his colleagues of the Factory were presented by the Awards on Monday 1st May 2006 in Valletta, Malta.
(The St. Mary Fireworks Group has available for the General Public a set of DVDs featuring the most recent Shows organized by the St. Mary Fireworks Factory. Please send email to alfgalea@maltanet.net for more details)
Festa 2006 Fireworks:
During the week of the Festa 2006, held between the 09th and 15th August 2006, the St Mary Fireworks Factory of Mqabba, together with the Society of Saint Mary and the King George V Band of Mqabba, continued to celebrate the Winning of the Malta International Fireworks Festival 2006. On the days of the festa the St Mary Fireworks Group presented Firewroks Displays that confirmed and PROVED that the team is undoubtfully the Champion and the 'top of the tops' among the Matlese Pyroteechnics Manufacturers. On the days of the 14th and 15th August 2006 the Factory presented to the huge crowds that invaded the village of Mqabba, more unique and original Pyrotechnics Shows. The team continued to present innovations even this year - Mostly noted was the form of a 'RUNNING MAN' displayed in the sky, the Maltese Cross surrounded in a circle ............. all this together with the unique, precisely forming and spectacular Coloured Muti-Circle Shell Fireworks, the Coloured Shell Fireworks ('Murtali tal-Kulur') with central core forming a Cross or a Star - unique fireworks only seen in Mqabba during the Santa Marija Festa. All this and more confirmed that undoubtfully our Fireworks team is nowadays the best in Malta, among the best in Europe ............... and as ever was, THE BEST IN MQABBA. All this was the main subject talked about by all those people from outside Mqabba who were present during our village Festa. This is our proof of what the St. Mary Fireworks Group's Level of workmanship is !!
Congratulations to all those involved in all this !! Please visit the pages about 'Fireworks' found in this site to see some samples of what has been shown during the Santa Marija Festa in Mqabba, 2006.
December 2006:
The Saint Mary Fireworks Factory again represented with honours the Maltese Islands during an International Conference for a group of managers from Thomas Cook, one of the leading European Tour Organisations. A total of 2 spectacular fireworks shows have been set up by the Saint Mary Fireworks Factory from Bighi in Kalkara. Thomas Cook Representatives followed the Show froim the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta. The shows were also viewed by hundreds of Maltese who gathered in Valletta waterfront vicinities. This was another huge success for our fireworks team. It is a known fact that the Saint Mary Fireworks Factory of Mqabba nowadays is without any doubt, the leading pioneer in the pyrotechnic sector on the Maltese Islands.
Follow the link below to see photos of this event:
http://www.freewebs.com/fireworks_show_dec06/
The year 2007:
The Saint Mary Fireworks Factory is continuing to build upon what has been constructed during the past years. This year the Factory participated together with other 13 Maltese Fireworks Factories during the First Malta Ground Fireworks Festival. The Factory presented a total of 3 mechanised pieces of Fireworks all of which performed to a high level during the competition. The Saint Mary Fireworks factory gained a prestigious 4th Place overall during this Festival, confirming that it always remain the Best Fireworks Factory in Mqabba and one of the leading ones when it comes to Ground Firewroks Manufacturing. The Saint Mary Fireworks Factory again participated during the Malta International Fireworks Festival. As the First Fireworks Champions of Malta, the Factory presented a Gran Finale for the 2007 Festival during the night between the 30th April and 1st May 2007
Caput Lucis 2007:
The next challenge for the Saint Mary Fireworks Factory will be Next August. Between the 1st and 5th August 2007 the Factory will be representing Malta in the Firwroks World Championships called Caput Lucis. The Event will be held in Valmontone porvince of Rome, Italy. The Saint Mary Firewroks Factory will be competing for honours with Factories and Manufacturers coming from Italy, Japan, Spain, China, England, Romania and Slovenia.
To see more information and photos about the Ground Fireworks Festival and to read more about Caput Lucis, please follow the Link below:
www.freewebs.com/fireworks2007/
