A cryptocurrency millionaire has donated 35 tons worth of fireworks to Zug in order to help put on the biggest Swiss National Day firework display in the canton's history. Authorities in Zug have not arranged for their own fireworks display, and therefore, the millionaire is eager to sponsor a grand show on August 1.

Residents disappointed as fireworks missing from key festival

Our story starts when residents of the Swiss canton were left disappointed when the Lake Zug Festival in July did not feature a fireworks display. Then, during the planning of National Day, authorities in Zug confirmed that they would not use fireworks - instead, they were going to light a fire on the lake.

As a result of the complaints, millionaire Niklas Nikolajsen decided to swoop in and try to save the summer for Zug’s residents. His plan is to ignite 35 tonnes of fireworks over the lake in a display featuring more than 1.200 pyrotechnics. It will be "the biggest fireworks ever fired in the canton of Zug”, the millionaire said in a post on his Instagram account. 

Nikolajsen recently renovated a historic property in Zug

The donated fireworks are also in celebration of the millionaire’s newly renovated property. Nikolajsen purchased the historic St. Karlshof / Salesianum country house in 2018 and will soon begin to live there with his family. 

The firework display organised by the millionaire will take place from 10:30pm, when the fireworks will be launched off three boats anchored in front of St. Karlshof. Zug Tourism director Dominic Keller told 20 Minuten: "We didn't actively coordinate the timing with each other, but the fireworks also fit into our program," says Keller. The local authority's official event will end at 10pm, giving people plenty of time to get to Nikolajsen's show.