Plenty of ahs and oohs would have been heard around the Grand Harbour over the weekend had they not been drowned out by the bang and crackle of fireworks lighting up the sea and sky with brilliant flashes of colour.

The music, to which the fireworks were choreographed, added even more glamour to the show.

The contest between five local fireworks makers was tough but in the end the Lourdes Fireworks Factory of Qrendi was declared winner of the 10th edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival held on Friday and Saturday.

Our Lady of Consolation of Gudja placed second, followed by La Stella Fireworks Factory of Gudja in third. The other contestants were St Nicholas of Siġġiewi and Santa Maria of Mġarr which placed fourth and fifth respectively.

The adjudicating panel was made up of three international experts and chaired by Joe Theuma, secretary of the Malta Pyrotechnic Association. The jury awarded points on originality, colour, choreography and quality of shells used.

Three foreign firework firms hailing from Austria, Italy and Venezuela gave the event an international flavour.

The festival, organised by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism, the Environment and Culture and the Malta Tourism Authority, celebrated Malta’s accession to the European Union.