News story

Fireworks for Derry-Londonderry

City of Culture 2013 celebrates

From:
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Ed Vaizey
Published
2 January 2013
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

New Year’s Eve’s spectacular firework display in Derry-Londonderry at 20:13 marked the start of the Northern Ireland city’s year-long reign as the UK’s City of Culture.

It was the largest firework display the city had ever staged and took place against the backdrop of St Columb’s Park and the iconic Peace Bridge.

Cultural excellence

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said:

“2013 is shaping up to be a massively exciting year for Derry-Londonderry and for the UK as a whole. Their program of events promises to be hugely entertaining and contains something for everyone. It will build on the phenomenal success of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, and show once again the depth and range of our cultural excellence.”

A world-class programme

Last year Derry-Londonderry announced a world-class programme for 2013, including:

  • the Turner Prize presented outside England for the first time
  • a new commission by the London Symphony Orchestra
  • award-winning choreographer Hofesh Shechter
  • the return of Field Day
  • a new play by American playwright Sam Shepard
  • local Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney
  • the first visit to Northern Ireland of the Royal Ballet for over a decade

Further information

Published 2 January 2013