The London Eye hosts the best-known London New Year’s Eve fireworks display beside the River Thames.
The fireworks are launched from barges on the river and from structures near the London Eye, creating a display visible across central London. The event is organized by the Mayor of London and has become one of the city’s largest annual public celebrations.
The London Eye, also called the Millennium Wheel, opened to the public in March 2000. Its position on the South Bank, opposite the Palace of Westminster, gives the fireworks a distinctive backdrop that includes the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
People sometimes refer to the display as a “Big Ben fireworks” show because the clock tower appears prominently in broadcasts. However, Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell inside the Elizabeth Tower, while the London Eye is the landmark most closely associated with the fireworks themselves.