The Waterfront Festival Fireworks - The best places to see them both near and far!

After a long hiatus, Fireworks are back with a bang for this year’s Waterfront Festival!  While a spot in the sand, not far from the pier, and landmark bridge are always popular vantage points, we know there’ll be some who are keen to enjoy the fireworks from more of a distance. Here are the best spots to view them, plus a few fun fireworks facts you can impress your mates with!

Location 1. Olivers Hill Lookout

Let’s start with the classic. This spot is the perfect viewing platform any day of the year, so it’s the obvious prime possie to watch the fireworks light up the sky over the bay. With views not only across the water, but to Frankston and beyond, this is the spot everyone wants to be. So if you’re keen for the postcard view, make sure you get there a little earlier than the 9.45pm scheduled kick off.

Fun Fact 1. China invented fireworks!

China is often credited as the inventor of fireworks. Different folklore tales share different stories, but some say, the Chinese originally believed that the fireworks could expel evil spirits and bring about luck and happiness.  Given the experiences of the last 2 years, we say bring on the fireworks for 2022!

Location 2. Olivers Hill Boat Ramp

If Olivers Hill sounds a little too hectic, the boat ramp car park where you often find Little Olly’s coffee van, might be a good option if you’re after somewhere with more space.  You can wander down here from the Waterfront Festival and take a seat on the sea wall overlooking the water. Don’t forget your camera!  

Fun Fact 2. Italy made fireworks pretty.

While we may be saying hats off to China for the invention, apparently Italy deserves the credit for making fireworks bright and beautiful. Italy introduced aerial shells to the firework world, which gives them their shape. The Italians also discovered the use of metallic powders to create desired colours, and what gives us our ooh and ahh moments today!

Location 3. Esplanade Reserve

Just a little further along from the beautiful, Saint Pauls Anglican Church, is a lovely grassed spot with views down to the Waterfront Festival and out to the pier and bay. If you’ve been at the festival all day, it’s a great place to lay out a rug with some food truck bites and settle in to watch the fireworks shine. If you’ve ever visited The Sentinel, then you’ll know, this is the spot.

Fun Fact 3. The Walt Disney Company is the largest consumer of fireworks in the world

It’s probably not surprising to hear this, especially if you’ve ever visited a Disney theme park at night! Fireworks are very much part of the Disney storytelling experience, delighting generations for years. In 2004 they introduced electric timers to explode the shells. This helped for accuracy in the fireworks timing so they could put the show to music, timing in with those big powerful Disney ballads.  

Location 4. The rooftop of The Deck Est. 2013

The Deck is one of Frankston’s iconic local pubs, with a roof top deck that gives you access to stellar views across the bay. They often have live music on a Saturday night so if you feel like a bit of a dance, you can get your groove on as much as you like.  This is the place to be to watch the fireworks with a cheeky cocktail in hand and beats to get you moving.

Fun Fact 4. Blue fireworks are the hardest to make!

With all the colours you see in a firework show, blue is apparently the most difficult to make.  To this day, a deep, vibrant blue is still beyond reach, despite the fact that fireworks were invented more than a millennium ago. It’s the Holy Grail for pyrotechnic experts.

Location 5. The Cheeky Squire Deck

The Cheeky Squire are not only bringing you the Garden Bar at the Waterfront Festival, but if you’re in the mood for a pub meal nearby, they’ve got great spots you can enjoy and take in the fireworks too. There are some water views by the windows, but our tip, head out onto their deck for the great combo of a summer night, fireworks and pot and parma. The ultimate summer wrap up.

Fun Fact 5. The world’s largest firework weighed over 2 tonnes!

In February 2020, the world’s largest aerial firework went off. Weighing in at 1268kgs, or roughly the weight of a four-door sedan, it detonated over Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  It set a Guinness World Record in the process. Curious to see it? Here’s a video of the big moment.

The Waterfront Festival is taking place, February 19-20. With 3 music stages, (including Sneaky Sound System!), carnival rides, and the mass of culture, colour and movement that is the Ventana Fiesta Precinct, it’s going to be the ultimate celebration of summer.  

Fireworks will be launched from the Frankston Pier a 9.45pm on Saturday 19 February and can be viewed along the Bay and throughout the event site as they hit the night sky.

Make sure you stay tuned on Discover Frankston socials for festival updates OR follow The Waterfront Festival.

We learnt about some of our firework fun facts here, here and here – what an insight! Remember too, we all love fireworks but our furry friends can find them a bit scary and overwhelming so please don't bring them with you and if you live nearby, make sure they're in a safe space.