Amsterdam to ring in the new year without at-home fireworks

They’d been discussing it for a while, but the municipality has finally made it official: starting from this year, a ban on fireworks is coming into effect in Amsterdam. This means the only fireworks going off on New Year’s Eve will be part of organised shows. 

Municipality of Amsterdam announces firework ban

The new rule was supposed to come into effect in time for 2021, but the municipality postponed the decision as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This week, however, it was announced that, starting this December, New Year’s Eve in the Dutch capital will be celebrated “without the nuisance and incidents caused by fireworks.”

The municipality says the majority of Amsterdam residents are in favour of a city-wide ban, and so it wants to instead create new traditions for the Dutch capital, as well as the rest of the country, as it continues to advocate for a national ban on so-called consumer fireworks.

Celebrating this New Year's Eve in Amsterdam

But not to worry: that doesn’t mean that midnight on December 31 will be entirely firework-free Instead of members of the public being able to buy and set off fireworks, the municipality is looking to organise a number of professional shows across the city so that residents can ring in the new year together. 

While the scale of these events will be dictated by the coronavirus restrictions put in place by the Dutch government, plans currently involve a festive New Year’s celebration on Museumplein, which will feature a professional fireworks display as well as a light and laser show at midnight and various musical performances. Furthermore, communities should be able to look forward to smaller fireworks displays in each individual district.