Birmingham skies light up with dazzling New Year fireworks displays as city welcomes 2023

Dazzling through the light rain, fireworks lit up the skies over Birmingham as loud explosions and cheers echoed throughout the city streets under an awe-inspiring blanket of brightly coloured illuminations.

Some residents started their light shows early, including an awesome burst of fireworks in Holloway Circus in the city centre, seemingly ignited from the ‘Pagoda Island’ roundabout for fifteen minutes straight and to the delight of revellers in nearby bars and clubs, as well as residents watching down from nearby tower blocks.

But for most the unified chorus of celebratory chaos came at midnight when thousands of people across the city rang in the New Year, saying a fond farewell to 2022 and welcoming in the year 2023.

WATCH | New Year fireworks frenzy in Birmingham city centre:

From back gardens and local park displays to larger organised affairs, fireworks could be seen going off right across the Birmingham skyline from miles away; whether it was close-up booms, bangs and flashes or distant shimmers and crackles – the night sky had come alive as cheers could be heard all around.

With Birmingham City Council unable to provide an official firework display once again this year, the night’s entertainment was largely left up to Brummies themselves.

Several pubs and bars around the city welcomed punters to enjoy drinks and music to celebrate the New Year, while local nightclubs held ‘glitter bomb’ parties and masquerade balls; all novel ways to gear up towards the final countdown of the year.

WATCH | New Year fireworks light up Birmingham skyline:

In London, a tribute to the late Queen and a show of solidarity for the people of Ukraine were among the fireworks on display in the capital, as more than 100,000 people gathered along the Thames to mark the beginning of 2023.

A reported 12,000 fireworks were used to create a stunning show with the theme of “love and unity”, with, drones spelling out the message “2023 with love from London” ahead of a barrage of traditional fireworks.

In Edinburgh, people congregated for the first official Hogmanay celebrations in three years, with previous events being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.