Marlborough A&P Showground hosts Lights Over Marlborough fundraiser

Six thousand people are expected to watch the annual Lights Over Marlborough fireworks display on Saturday, November 14. The event serves as the main fundraiser for Whitney Street School and will take place at the Marlborough A&P Showground from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person or $40 for a family of five, with children under the age of five admitted for free.

Michelle Harris, a registered pyrotechnician for Kiwi Pyro, will lead the show. Harris has a long history with the event, attending as a child with her parents, Phillip Robertson and Sherrill Church. Her professional journey began in 2012 after she met Kelvin Holdaway from Fireworks NZ while watching displays in her Blenheim neighborhood. Holdaway later invited her to work, leading to her eventual partnership with pyro technician Phillip Rayner, under whom she trained for five years. She has operated under her own license for eight years.

Harris prepares for the show starting in July. She uses technology to design the music track and time the fireworks to specific beats. The process involves mapping the showground into firing sites and calculating trajectories based on wind direction and speed. Her inventory, which includes comets, slices, and star shells, is supplied by a New Zealand vendor and stored in a secure, undisclosed location.

This year, Harris will work alongside her son, Kaige, who is 21 and joined Kiwi Pyro three years ago. Harris stated that Kaige will be responsible for pushing the button to start the display. She also credited her crew for managing the logistics on the day of the event. Safety protocols include liaising with Fire and Emergency and notifying local animal shelters, including the SPCA and Marlborough Four Paws, in advance of the show.

The event was first held 38 years ago on the grounds of Whitney Street School and has since moved to the showground. It is sponsored by Ray White. Harris has donated her services to the school for many years and expressed gratitude for their continued support. She noted that the display lasts for 15 minutes and aims to provide a moment of relief for attendees.

Harris has attended two week-long training events with the Pyrotechnics Guild International in America to stay current with industry advancements. She maintains that there is room for both professional displays and private firework sales, advocating for a balanced approach rather than a ban on individual use. The community will gather on Saturday to view the display, which Harris described as a moment of magic that helps people feel like children again.