The London Eye has been the launch point and visual centerpiece for London's main New Year's Eve fireworks.
The annual fireworks display is staged around the River Thames, with the London Eye prominently illuminated and used as a central firing location. The spectacle is coordinated with the midnight countdown and is watched by crowds along the river as well as television audiences.
London's celebration also features the clock at the Palace of Westminster, commonly called Big Ben. Big Ben supplies the familiar midnight chimes, but it is not the landmark that serves as the central fireworks structure. This distinction explains why the two names are often confused in trivia questions.
The London Eye opened to the public in 2000 as part of millennium celebrations. Its height, position beside the river, and circular illuminated form make it especially effective for a large, synchronized fireworks production.