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When Hong Kong’s Mid-Autumn Festival fireworks display nearly ‘fizzled out’ in 1983

The team behind the extravaganza finally saw their efforts literally go up in smoke more than 2 weeks after the festival date

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Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour glows with a fireworks display held more than two weeks after Mid-Autumn Festival in 1983 – also the now-defunct Urban Council’s centenary year. Photo: Robin Lam Kit
Dave Besseling
“Plans to hold a fireworks display during the Mid-Autumn Festival in September are expected to fizzle out because of Government concern over crowd control,” reported the South China Morning Post on July 12, 1983. “The Urban Council says that unless the Government gives the go-ahead this week, the display might be abandoned. And various council officials do not really expect to hear from the Executive Council until the end of the month.
“Plans to hold a fireworks display during the Mid-Autumn Festival in September are expected to fizzle out because of Government concern over crowd control,” reported the South China Morning Post on July 12, Photo. Credit: SCMP Archives
“Plans to hold a fireworks display during the Mid-Autumn Festival in September are expected to fizzle out because of Government concern over crowd control,” reported the South China Morning Post on July 12, Photo. Credit: SCMP Archives

“Police sources have warned that there could be ‘complete disruption of traffic and possible tragedies’ if a fireworks display were held during the festival. It is understood that several Government departments are also against the idea because of the crowd problem. The Government’s stance is seen partly as a bid to prevent any repetition of the ugly disturbances which caused serious crowd violence on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve in 1980 and 1981.”

On August 18, however, the Post reported that “a million people are expected to watch a fireworks display costing almost that much in dollars in Victoria Harbour later this year. The extravaganza, the highlight of Urbco’s centenary year, was originally planned for next month’s Mid-Autumn Festival. But the Government was worried about crowd control problems.”
Fireworks light up Victoria Harbour to the amusement of thousands, who flocked to both sides of Victoria Harbour for a postponed Mid-Autumn Festival show in 1983. Photo: Robin Lam Kit
Fireworks light up Victoria Harbour to the amusement of thousands, who flocked to both sides of Victoria Harbour for a postponed Mid-Autumn Festival show in 1983. Photo: Robin Lam Kit

The big show was finally set to be held on October 16. “Nestled in a quiet bay off Green Island yesterday were three peaceful-looking barges that could probably blow up half of Hongkong,” reported the Post on the day. “On their decks were row upon row of what resembled chimneys with silver-foil tops. A closer look revealed that they contained even stranger objects that looked like exotic fruit from the South Pacific.

“A team of Japanese men looked on affectionately at the collection, which represented the culmination of five months of hard work and planning. For, in just 25 minutes tonight, they will see their efforts literally go up in smoke.”

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