Germany’s ‘Cologne Lights’ fireworks festival canceled due to energy crisis

BERLIN (AA) – Germany’s famous “Cologne Lights” fireworks festival will not be held next year due to the ongoing energy crisis, organizers announced on Tuesday.

The annual mu­sic­al fire­works dis­play, which was scheduled to take place on July 15, 2023, was canceled as it became impossible to manage the costs, organizers said in a statement.

“Hardly predictable price developments and drastically increased personnel costs make reliable planning impossible, this brings incalculable risks for us,” organizers said.

“Cologne Lights” is one of the largest fireworks displays in the country, attracting nearly 800,000 visitors every year to the banks of the Rhine River to watch the spectacle.

Germany is facing the biggest energy crisis ever due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which led to disruptions in oil and gas supply, and pushed energy prices to record highs.