- Title: Berlin gets ready for New Year's Eve amid fireworks ban
- Date: 30th December 2019
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (DECEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) STAGE BEING BUILT AT BRANDENBURG GATE STAGE VARIOUS OF MAN PREPARING DRINKS STAND AT THE "PARTY MEILE", WHERE THOUSANDS ARE EXPECTED TO WELCOME THE NEW YEAR SEKT BOTTLES AT STAND POLICE CAR POLICE WALKING
- Embargoed: 13th January 2020 13:32
- Keywords: Berlin Fireworks New Year's Silvestermeile partial ban
- Location: BERLIN AND EITORF, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN AND EITORF, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001BC62LON
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Berlin prepared on Monday (December 30) to host a big party at the Brandenburg Gate - but without its famously vibrant firework display.
People from all over the world are expected to welcome the New Year at the city's landmark, donning funny hats and eye-catching costumes for one of the biggest celebrations in Europe with stages, bands and stands placed along the central roads to provide visitors with music, drinks and food.
Traditionally, the sky of Berlin is lit up by fireworks at midnight - not only at the Brandenburg Gate, but from balconies and rooftops, in gardens and parks, even in the smallest side streets until the early hours.
But this year fireworks have been banned at the Brandenburg Gate, as well as Alexanderplatz and other areas in the city.
The ban, which comes into force at 1700 GMT on New Year's Eve, applies to all rockets, battery fireworks, fountains and Chinese-bangers (firecrackers).
Only sparklers, table-fireworks, and penny bangers, which can be used on any other day of the year, are allowed.
But revellers seem unlikely to abide by the ban, judging from the popularity of fireworks warehouse WECO in Eitdorf, where customers camped outside ahead of opening to take away huge boxes full of rockets and bangers.
Back in Berlin, pop-up fireworks shops were also doing a roaring trade, with clients open about the fact they were buying for New Year.
"It's just once a year," Mike Wilke said.
(Production: Martin Schlicht, Oliver Barth, Elena Gyldenkerne) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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