The Montreal Fireworks Festival (French:L'International des Feux Loto-Québec) is the largestfireworks competition in the world. It has been held yearly inLa Ronde over the Dolphin Lake since 1985 and is named after its main sponsor,Loto-Québec. It hosts an estimated 3 million spectators each year, with approximately 6,000 fireworks set off during each show.Each summer, eight or nine pyrotechnical companies from different countries present a 30-minute-longpyromusical show, competing for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Jupiters or trophies.
For the 20th anniversary in 2004, eight of the previous top competitors (all of whom had won the Gold Jupiter) were invited to fight for the unique Platinum Jupiter in June and July 2004, which was won in the end by the German company WECO.
The competition takes the form of a series of biweekly fireworks shows usually beginning in late June and ending in late July. The fireworks are synchronized to music which is also broadcast over a provincialradio station (RockDétente in 2005,Rythme FM 2006-onwards). Spectators can purchase tickets to have reserved seats inLa Ronde: they can buy them on site, on-line or through the Admission group to obtain an exceptional view of the lower altitude display and the whole perspective. However, tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of people watch the fireworks for free from nearbylocations. In 2009 and 2010, the shows were held on Saturday nights only, from June to August; however, in 2011 shows were again held on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning end of June until end of July. As of 2025, the shows are held on Thursdays and Sundays.
* Not awarded.
** 1985 & 1986 Pyromusical Category Winners[1]
*** 1985 & 1986 Traditional Category Winners[2]
France (Arteventia)[3]
Finland (Joho Pyro)
England (Pyrotex Fireworx)[4]| Date | Borough/Community |
| July 24 | Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles |
| July 31 | Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve |
| August 7 | Verdun (Île-des-Sœurs) |
| August 14 | Ahuntsic-Cartierville andSaint-Léonard |
| August 21 | Dollard-des-Ormeaux andPointe-Claire |
| August 28 | Lachine |
Portugal ( Groupo Luso Pirotecnica.)
Philippines (Dragon Fireworks Inc.)England (Jubilee Fireworks Ltd.)
Spain (Ricasa)England (Jubilee Fireworks Ltd.)
Canada (Fireworks Spectaculars and Royal Pyrotechnie Colab )
Italy (PyroEmotions & PyrodigiT Team)
United States (Atlas Pyrovision Productions)Italy (Pirotecnica Morsani SRL)Canada (Fireworks Spectaculars)Canada (Royal Pyrotechnie)United States (Pyrotecnico)[1]England (Pains Fireworks)[2]United States (Melrose Pyrotechnics)
Argentina (Fuegos Artificiales Júpiter)
Germany - Platinum Jupiter (WECO)Canada (Royal Pyrotechnie)France (Société Lacroix-Ruggieri)Spain (Pirotècnia Igual)Germany (Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik)United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)Italy (Ipon s.r.l.)United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
Netherlands (JNS Pyrotechniek)United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)Spain (Pirotecnia Caballer)
China (Sunny International)United States (Pyrotechnology Inc.)France (Société Étienne Lacroix)Germany (Lünig Feuerwerk Stuttgart)Spain (Pirotècnia Igual)United States (Austin Fireworks, Inc.)Spain (Pirotecnia Caballer)** &China (Dongguan Fireworks)***France (Société Étienne Lacroix)** &
Japan (Marutamaya Ogatsu)***** Winners of the 1985 & 1986 Pyromusical Category[8]
*** Winners of the 1985 & 1986 Traditional Category[9]
Although the fireworks are fired from La Ronde onSaint Helen's Island, they can easily be seen from many points in the Montreal area: elsewhere on Saint Helen's Island;Longueuil; on theJacques Cartier Bridge, which is closed to traffic from around 8 p.m. until the end of the show theOld Port of Montreal; or locations along the side or on a boat on theSaint Lawrence River.
