London began its annual New Year's Eve fireworks display on the River Thames in 2000. The first large display marked the arrival of the new millennium at the turn from 1999 to 2000.
The fireworks are staged around the South Bank and central London, with the London Eye becoming a major visual feature after its opening in 2000. The display is organized by the Mayor of London and has developed into a ticketed riverside event.
The year 2000 is sometimes confused with 2001 because the numbering of the millennium and the century can be debated. However, London’s inaugural millennium celebration and the start of the annual fireworks tradition are conventionally dated to New Year’s Eve 1999, welcoming 2000.
The London display is separate from the city’s older New Year traditions, including church bells, public gatherings, and celebrations in Trafalgar Square. Its defining feature is the modern Thames-side fireworks format.