Rantz: Cancel the Seattle New Year’s Eve fireworks show at the Space Needle, stick with drones

The New Year’s Eve fireworks show at the Space Needle has nearly become an annual exercise in futility in Seattle—and it’s time we admit it. Actually, it was time to cancel the Seattle fireworks show years ago. But for 2025, the reasons to cancel the show are clearer than ever, even if the fireworks themselves rarely are.

Every year, the same tired script plays out. KING 5’s broadcast features hosts awkwardly stalling with painfully forced banter about resolutions while struggling through the same technical glitches they always suffer, while viewers at home prepare for an 18-minute show they wonder if they’ll be able to enjoy.

Like clockwork, the fireworks explode into a murky cloud of fog and smoke. The result? A barely visible, vaguely colorful haze that looks more like Seattle’s largest 4/20 convention than a celebratory display. Every once and a while, you actually get to see most of the show. Last night was one such lucky example. But throughout the evening it wasn’t clear if the weather would cooperate.

Why would we do a Space Needle fireworks show with December weather in Seattle?

Seattle weather in late December is predictably bad. So who thought a fireworks show at the Space Needle would be a good idea?

Between the persistent fog and the infamous inversion effect caused by warm fireworks colliding with cold air, visibility is often nonexistent. Even the pre-fireworks drone show—which, admittedly, has some visual flair—gets overshadowed (or should I say undershadowed?) by the predictable gloom. We have to hope that it doesn’t rain and that we get just enough breeze to push the smoke away so you can see the fireworks show.

For in-person attendees, the experience is no better — unless you’re in the exact perfect spot that is impossible to predict. You find it by sheer luck. Meanwhile, crowds gather at Seattle Center, only to catch glimpses of a few fireworks before they’re swallowed by the fog.

It’s not festive; it’s frustrating. And for those watching from home, the KING 5 broadcast suffers from its own issues: poorly timed camera work, sound that isn’t turned on, awkward transitions, and a soundtrack that fails to make up for the lack of visual clarity. This time, they even had hosts sharing microphones. They couldn’t bring one extra microphone for their hosts? Did they burn their budget on the Facing Race team so they can invent a story about white supremacy?

Can we cancel the fireworks show in Seattle yet?

Why do we keep doing this? Is it tradition? Nostalgia? The feeling that the city of Seattle needs to do something for New Year’s Eve at the Space Needle? Or just stubbornness? Whatever the reason, it’s not worth the time, effort, or expense. The production costs of this event could be redirected toward something that’s actually enjoyable—or at least consistently visible.

Seattle prides itself on being innovative and forward-thinking. So why not embrace that spirit and find a better way to ring in the new year? The city could exclusively host a drone light show that’s designed to work with—not against—the weather. Drone shows, when they work, are astounding. We have the budget to hire Sky Elements from America’s Got Talent.

Perhaps we could have a hootenanny? I’m not even sure what that actually is but it sounds fun. Or we could… just not do anything at all. That’s an option, you know? The only reason we have a fireworks show is because it gives people with no plans something to do on New Year’s Eve.

The message from Mother Nature couldn’t be more obvious: She’s in charge and her mood determines whether or not we get a visible fireworks show. It’s time to cancel the Space Needle fireworks show and invest in a celebration that reflects the creativity Seattle was once known for—something that doesn’t leave us squinting at a cloud of smoke and wondering what might have been or praying that we’ll get cooperative weather.

The year 2025 deserves better. Let’s start the year with clarity, not chaos. Cancel the fireworks, Seattle. Stick with drones.

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