Thousands turn up to non-existent New Year’s fireworks display in Birmingham – after being fooled by fake adverts for the second year running
Hundreds of people have been tricked into attending a non-existent New Year fireworks display in Birmingham city center for the second year in a row.
Last night, huge crowds braved the freezing cold to gather in Centenary Square excited to welcome 2026, only to be told the ads were fake.
Videos shared on TikTok show audience members gathered in the streets, their phones out, waiting for the show to begin.
However, disappointed revelers were later seen running out of the area with no fireworks in sight.
police officers They were telling those who went to the scene that this did not happen.
This comes after thousands of people flocked to Centenary Square last year for an event like no other.
Analysis of these ads revealed that blog posts summarizing the ‘best’ fireworks displays in the UK may have been written by AI and were based on outdated information.
Hundreds of people were tricked into attending a non-existent New Year fireworks display in Birmingham city center for the second year in a row
Videos shared on TikTokshow show prospective audience members gathered on the streets, their phones out, waiting for the show to begin.
Braving the freezing cold last night, large crowds gathered in Centenary Square excited to welcome 2026, only to be told the ads were fake
Artificial intelligence programs can generally write an article in a few seconds, although they sometimes make mistakes.
When asked to write about the best fireworks displays in Britain, some of them include Birmingham, possibly relying on old articles as source information.
There has been no New Year’s Eve display in Birmingham city center since 2017, but fireworks adverts have repeatedly appeared online.
A person involved in this year’s fireworks displays in the UK said the event in Birmingham will take place between 8pm and 12.30pm.
It read: ‘If you’re spending New Year’s Eve in Birmingham, don’t miss the celebrations in Centenary Square, by far the biggest New Year party in the city.
‘At the event, you’ll find street food vendors, an ice rink and bars to help you celebrate New Year’s Eve 2025.’
Earlier this week West Midlands Police addressed rumors of a fireworks display in Birmingham and issued a warning to those traveling there.
A spokesman said: ‘There is no official fireworks display or city-organised event in Birmingham city center on New Year’s Eve.
‘Rumors are starting to spread on the internet that big celebrations will be held in the city every year. Unfortunately, these false claims often lead to confusion and disappointment.
Image: One of the social media posts advertising the event. It is believed that summaries of some fireworks events may have been written by artificial intelligence
Earlier this week, West Midlands Police addressed rumors of a fireworks display in Birmingham and issued a warning to those traveling there.
There has been no New Year’s Eve display in Birmingham city center since 2017, but fireworks adverts have repeatedly appeared online
‘For example, last year we became aware of posts circulating about a spectacular demonstration in Centenary Square.
‘A lot of people believed it, went downtown and were disappointed when nothing happened.
‘Families made unnecessary journeys and were disappointed to find out the event did not happen. We don’t want this to happen again.
‘If you see posts or comments on social media suggesting a fireworks display or large-scale event will be held in Birmingham on New Year’s Eve, please treat them with caution.
‘These allegations are not true.
‘If you are unsure please let us know. We’re here to help clarify and stop the spread of misinformation.
‘Why is this important? Because misinformation can create real security problems in the city.
‘When large crowds gather for a non-existent event, it puts pressure on public transport and emergency services and can lead to congestion in the city centre.
‘We ask that you please only share accurate information from reliable sources. Help us keep Birmingham safe and fun for everyone this New Year’s Eve.
‘We will have officers on high visibility patrols throughout Christmas and New Year to keep everyone safe.’
