L'International des Feux Loto-Québec
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L’International des Feux Loto-Québec, also known as the Montreal Fireworks Festival, is an important international fireworks competition. (It was formerly known as Le Mondial SAQ, and l'International Benson & Hedges prior to that.) It has been held yearly in La Ronde over the Dolphins lake, since 1985, and is named after its main sponsor, Loto-Québec. They are hailed as the best fireworks in the world as well as being the largest festival of its kind on Earth. An estimated 3 million people watch them each season.
Each summer, eight or nine pyrotechnical companies from different countries present a 30-minute long pyromusical 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 broadcasted over a provincial radio station (2005 RockDétente, 2006-2007 Rythme FM). Spectators can purchase tickets to have reserved seats in La Ronde they can buy them on site or on the admission group, providing an exceptional view of the lower altitude display and of the whole perspective. However, tens to hundreds of thousands of people watch the fireworks for free from nearby locations (see next). Although the fireworks are shot at La Ronde on Île Sainte-Hélène, they can easily be seen from many points in the Montreal area, Longueuil, especially on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, open to pedestrian spectators only during the event, the Old Port of Montreal or other locations along the Saint Lawrence River.
[edit] Gold Jupiter Winners
1985
France (Société Étienne Lacroix)
1986
Spain (Pirotecnia Caballer)
1987
United States (Austin Fireworks, Inc.)
1988
Spain (Pirotècnia Igual)
1989
Germany (Lünig Feuerwerk Stuttgart)
1990
France (Société Étienne Lacroix)
1991
United States (Pyrotechnology Inc.)
1992
China (Sunny International)
1993
Spain (Pirotecnia Caballer)
1994
United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
1995
Netherlands (JNS Pyrotechniek)
1996
United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
1997
Italy (Ipon s.r.l.)
1998
United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
1999
United States (Performance Pyrotechnic Associates)
2000
Germany (Weco Pyrotechnische Fabrik)
2001
Spain (Pirotècnia Igual)
2002
France (Société Lacroix-Ruggieri)
2003
Canada (Royal Pyrotechnie)
2004
Germany - Platinum Jupiter (WECO)
2005
Argentina (Fuegos Artificiales Júpiter)
2006
United States (Melrose Pyrotechnics)
2007
United Kingdom (Pains Fireworks) [1]
