Fundraising campaign launched to save Rotterdam’s Erasmus Bridge fireworks show

The National Fireworks Foundation (Stichting Het Nationale Vuurwerk) wants to raise 1.2 million euros through a fundraising campaign to save the traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks show on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam. The municipality of Rotterdam is cutting its budget and will no longer fund the event, leaving the foundation reliant on donations, particularly from entrepreneurs in the Rijnmond region. The fundraising campaign officially begins on September 22, 2025.

The large fireworks show on the Erasmus Bridge has been held for 15 years and attracts hundreds of Rotterdammers each year. The foundation describes the event not only as a festive tradition but also as a social instrument that brings people together and contributes to safety, as many fireworks-related injuries on New Year’s Eve can be prevented by using professional displays instead of consumer fireworks.

The campaign is led by Dieke van Groningen, a VVD councilor and, since September 11, 2025, a member of the VVD parliamentary group in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. Van Groningen is involved in the project because of her commitment to safety and community cohesion, and she was named the best VVD councilor in the Netherlands in 2023.

She emphasizes that the event is beneficial for the city in many ways: it brings people together and reduces the risk of fireworks-related injuries, including among children.

The foundation has a clear strategy if the funds raised are not sufficient: The money collected, minus any costs, will be reserved for the National Fireworks in 2026–2027. In case of bad weather on New Year’s Eve, the funds will also be reserved for the following year, possibly with a new fundraising campaign. If more than the required 1.2 million euros is raised, the surplus will go toward the fireworks show the following year.

The foundation is primarily targeting entrepreneurs in the Rijnmond region, encouraging them to contribute. Van Groningen describes the fireworks show as an event that contributes to the city both culturally and economically, by attracting visitors and bringing the local community together.