The 26th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest - widely regarded as the world's biggest competitive firework event - launches over a series of Saturday nights from 8th September to 1st October 2014.   This spectacular annual event, organised by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), will see ten teams from across the globe compete in a pyrotechnic shoot out to win the crown for the best firework display.

For 2014, the displays will once again take place on the shore in front of the famous Macau Tower with teams choreographing their fireworks displays to both music and light projections to create fully enhanced and dramatic shows.    The first teams will compete on 8th September, which coincides with Macau's Mid-Autumn Festival also known as the Lantern Festival due to the thousands of lanterns hung in the trees; the competition culminates on the 1st October which is also China's National Day thus adding to the joyous holiday atmosphere in the destination.  Europe's hopes are pinned on teams from France, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Croatia who will be competing against Taiwan, China, Korea and Australia.

The annual Macau International Fireworks Competition is just one of the many exciting events that take place throughout the year in Macau.  Other highlights include the Macau Grand Prix and the Macau International Dragon Boat Races as well as a number of Chinese and Portuguese celebrations such as Chinese New Year and the Christian 'Senhor dos Passos' that reflect Macau's fascinating heritage and traditions.

-Ends-

About Macau:

Just 40 miles from Hong Kong, Macau is located on China's south coast and boasts a unique Portuguese-Chinese heritage that makes it like nowhere else in the world. It might be small but Macau packs a lot into its 11 square miles with an abundance of historical buildings, superb food, beaches, gardens, museums, spas, shopping malls, dazzling shows, and activities ranging from golf and hiking to bungy jumping. A Special Administrative Region of China since 1999, Macau blends the best of the past with new and exciting tourism attractions.

www.macautourism.gov.mo

About the Macau Government Tourist Office:

The Macau Government Tourist Office is the tourism development arm of the government of the Macau SAR (Special Administrative Region) dedicated to promoting Macau as a preferred destination and co-ordinating related activities and services within the local tourism industry.

For media information and images, please contact Lucy Mayes at Hume Whitehead: lucy@humewhitehead.co.uk / 0845 498 9987.