What New Year's Eve event in London has taken place beside the River Thames since the start of the new millennium?

The London New Year's Eve fireworks have taken place beside the River Thames since the start of the new millennium.

London staged a major millennium fireworks display on the night of December 31, 1999, welcoming the year 2000. The city then developed a recurring annual display centered on the Thames, with views of landmarks including the London Eye, Big Ben, and the Palace of Westminster.

The modern event is organized around midnight and is commonly watched from ticketed riverside areas, public viewing points, and television broadcasts. Fireworks have also been synchronized with music and other visual effects.

The London Eye is often described as the source of the fireworks because it is a central landmark in images, but the display has used multiple launch points along and on the river. The famous clock tower is officially the Elizabeth Tower, although “Big Ben” properly names its great bell.