Annual fireworks display goes with a bang!

Visitors to The 1st Central County Ground on Sunday evening (5th November) were treated to a different kind of pyrotechnics than they are accustomed to during T20 cricket matches.

Six thousand people were in attendance for the Sussex Cricket Fireworks Night presented by Domestic & General for an evening of live music and one of the most spectacular fireworks display in the south.

As gates opened soon after dark, Brighton band, The Marching SKAletons set a festive tone, entertaining arriving spectators with their brass-tinged take on popular classics.

Inside the sold-out hospitality area in the Spen Cama Pavilion, hundreds of guests enjoyed a warming winter meal perfect for a crisp, November evening. 

On stage, Alex & Lou from the Juice 107.2 Breakfast Show got everyone in the mood by leading singalongs and coordinating mass Mexican waves made all the more impressive by the sea of glow sticks illuminating the outfield. 

The pair also introduced a range of acts selected by Brighton’s number one live music venue and nightclub, Concorde 2, who kept the crowd entertained ahead of the evening’s main event.

Countless rockets were sent screeching high into the night sky during the twenty-five minute fireworks display, which for the first time was fully choreographed with a fantastic soundtrack.

Hove was awash with bursts of light as the intensity built towards the grand finale; a crescendo of colour and noise made all the more dramatic by a musical accompaniment of Carl Orff’s ‘O Fortuna’.

The evening was made possible thanks to the generous support of Domestic & General, the UK’s leading appliance care provider and one of Brighton’s largest employers.

Domestic & General also provided an army of volunteers who were on hand with their collection buckets to add to the funds raised by the night for two local charities 

Thousands of pounds were raised for Rockinghorse Children’s Charity and Sussex Cricket Foundation, who will be presented with cheques in the coming weeks once totals have been confirmed.

Jackie Ashwood, Cross-site Operational Support Lead at Domestic & General said: “It was a fantastic night! We all felt really proud to support our charity partner Rockinghorse at this spectacular local event for the second year running.

“Our employees really care about getting involved with charitable activities and we all enjoyed every minute of it.”

Mark Judges, Commercial Manager at Sussex Cricket, added: “It was great to see people of all ages enjoying this fantastic annual charity event. 

“We are proud to provide one of the best firework displays in the south east for all the community to enjoy, alongside supporting two fantastic charities. 

“The proceeds raised on the night will certainly go towards making a marked difference in the local community. 

“A special thanks also goes to our partners, especially Domestic & General who helped make this event such a success for the second year running.”