Cannes Firework Festival

Most know of the Cannes Film Festival, where celebrities flock each year, and paparazzi flock to photograph them. But few know of the Cannes International Firework Festival, a grand display of fireworks set 300 meters out on the Bay of Cannes in which participants compete for the gold vistale, meaning excellence in pyrotechnical arts. Teams from around the world come with only their finest explosives to compete for the crowd’s attention, as well as six judges who score on the originality of the theme, quality of build, music selection, synchronization, fitting colors, and the general rhythm of the performance.

Photo Credit: Cannes, France (Allan Baxter/Getty)

Insider's Guide to Cannes

"Cannes is yummy," sums up an American friend who considers the chic French beach resort among her go-to European destinations. In her late 30s, world-traveled, often photographed, and perfectly comfortable in Louboutin stilettos, she epitomizes the Cannes return guest. They arrive on yachts or private jets—or in business class if they're really slumming—luggage packed with designer clothes and stylish swimwear. Whether arriving for a business meeting or a summer holiday or (cue paparazzi flash) the Film Festival, this set understands that Cannes is more than just a beach town, and staying here is about more than just hanging out. The city has splendid old hotels, Prada and Chanel shopping, some of the most high-profile postage stamps of beach in the world, and a red carpet that welcomes the movie business' most famous celebrities ...year after year after year.