Online hoaxes spark chaos again: Birmingham waits for fireworks that never come

The new year began on a flat note for hundreds of people in Birmingham after they were tricked into attending a New Year’s Eve fireworks display which never existed, for the second year in a row.

Crowds of revellers gathered in Centenary Square hoping to see a pyrotechnic display welcome in 2026, only to discover no fireworks were planned.

People later realised they had fallen victim to false information circulating online, with no official event scheduled in the city centre.

A similar incident took place last year when thousands of people turned up after online posts claimed there would be a major display complete with food vendors and live performances.

This year, one online advert promised a dazzling fireworks show where attenders could “expect a lively atmosphere featuring music alongside the brilliant show as the city welcomes the new year”.

West Midlands Police warned ahead of New Year’s Eve there were “no official firework displays or city-organised events happening in Birmingham city centre”, adding rumours about “big celebrations in the city” circulate online every year.

“Unfortunately, these false claims often lead to confusion and disappointment,” the force said.

Despite the warning, footage shared on social media showed large crowds gathered in front of the ferris wheel in Centenary Square on Wednesday evening.

One video was captioned: “When you queue for fireworks and the sky stays silent”.

West Midlands Police said incidents like the New Year’s Eve hoax can create “real safety issues in the city”, explaining large crowds gathering for events which do not exist place pressure on public transport and emergency services, and can cause congestion in the city centre.

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Elsewhere across the UK, millions of people gathered at legitimate events to welcome in 2026. London staged its biggest fireworks display to date, with around 12,000 fireworks launched in front of a crowd of 100,000 people along the River Thames.

In Scotland, tens of thousands of revellers at the Hogmanay street party watched a display light up Edinburgh Castle.

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Featured image credit via Unsplash.