"We're all hoping for success," said Kruglikov, technical director of the festival's reigning champions, Pyro-show. "We're going to be using new effects that have never been seen before."
Thousands turned out on Sunday to watch the week-long festival's grand opening, which included a variety concert, sparklers, Roman candles and an impressive fireworks finale.
Vladimir Mishin, the festival's founder and organizer, said the true visual extravaganza will get underway when the competition kicks off on Tuesday.
Seven teams from Russia, Latvia and the Ukraine will display their talents at creating their unique brand of fire in the sky.
The fireworks begin every night at 10:15 P.M. at the park's Fountain Square, with one team performing per evening. Firework stage programs will serve as pyrotechnical appetizers.
The fireworks shows will last 15 minutes and feature musical accompaniment and a pyrotechnical advertisement each team is required to create for their corporate sponsors.
The competition's winner, to be determined by a panel of pyrotechnic specialists, will win an automatic berth at an international competition abroad at a site yet to be determined.
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