Covid-19 snuffs out V&A New Year's fireworks for first time in 30 years

Covid-19's parting gift to 2020 will be the cancellation of the V&A Waterfront's New Year's Eve fireworks display for the first time in 30 years.

About 200,000 people normally pack Cape Town's prime tourist attraction for the annual midnight display but CEO David Green said on Thursday: “With the current Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings, with great regret under the circumstance, it will not be possible to stage a large-scale event.”

The V&A will still operate on New Year's Eve, and Green said the centrepiece of its celebration would be a seven-day “tribute of light and hope” to embrace the symbolism of a new year and new beginnings.

“It will represent hope, change, remembrance, life, courage, loss, gain, ubuntu and solidarity. Individual restaurants will offer celebration package options,” he said.

For the second year, all festive decorations at the V&A will be made from recyclable materials by local artists, makers, tenants and schoolchildren.

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