Winterfest show will pop and sizzle in Charlottetown Saturday night

The company handling the pyrotechnics show for downtown Charlottetown on Saturday, Feb. 17, promises the audience will be wowed. George Wade, show designer with Fireworks FX, is handling the fireworks portion of The Guardian’s Frosty Night on Victoria Row, a free family event that helps kick off the annual Jack Frost Winterfest, Feb. 1618.

Frosty Night takes place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wade said the pyrotechnics show will likely take place shortly after 8 p.m.

“This show is going to be a five-minute display.

“It’s scripted into our choreography software in the computer. Just press play and she’s going to go.’’

Five minutes may not sound like much, but the City of Charlottetown’s fireworks’ Canada 150 display in 2015 lasted three to five minutes and drew widespread praise.

Wade describes the types of effects as waves, rings, comets and mines. “There will be lots of different effects and a fairly punchy finale. I think it’ll be neat for Charlottetown to see a pyro show and to see the benefits of it.’’

Wade said shooting fireworks in the middle of winter is nothing new for Fireworks FX, but there is something unique about this show: it will be shot from the roof of the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

“We use close proximity pyro . . . but it allows for the audience to be a heck of a lot closer than they would normally be for nor- mal fireworks. We have really strict parameters and safety distances that we have to follow but, again, the pyros are beautiful effects and they allow for the audience to get within 25 feet. They are a lot more expensive, but they are so well engineered, there’s no fallout at all. Everything burns up before it reaches anywhere near the ground.’’

Close proximity pyrotechnics are used on concert stages, indoors at weddings, for example, on theatre stages and at sporting events.

The have little to no odour. Frosty Night will also include a live performance by the Love Junkies and buskers as well as a dedicated licensed area.

For Jack Frost ticket holders, there is the indoor venue at Murphy Centre on Richmond Street known as the Game Zone.

There is also the signature Outdoor Snow Kingdom at the Charlottetown Event Grounds featuring a Space Odyssey theme. It will include a Comets Climb, new 24-foot climbing wall, two slack lines, more than 25 snow and ice slides, an arts snow zone and the cosmic obstacle course.

The Eastlink Centre has the indoor playland, which includes a new dedicated bounce house for toddlers, along with multiple interactive bouncies and a petting zoo. There will also be performances by magician Lucas Stark, busker Cobbler Jay, Bobs and Lolo, and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

A pancake breakfast is offered on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 8-10 a.m. at Confederation Court Mall. Tickets are $5.50 with all the fixings prepared by the Sherwood-Parkdale Lions Club.

While Frosty Night is free, a ticket is required to access all other events at the three official Jack Frost venues – Outdoor Snow Kingdom, indoor playland and the Game Zone.

Tickets are available at jackfrostfestival.com or in person at Eastlink Centre or at the lottery booth at Confederation Court Mall.