Loading

At least six months of hard work will go up in flames tonight during Brisbane's Riverfire when thousands of fireworks are set off from 10 rooftops, six barges, and the Story and Goodwill bridges.

More than 9,000 individual fireworks will be released during the 22-minute display — including some with new colours and a new effect known as "sizzling comets".

Foti International Fireworks creative director Fortunato Foti and a team of at least 25 pyrotechnicians have been busy this past week setting up and putting the final touches on tonight's display.

ADF flyovers for Riverfire 5:15pm: A C-17A Globemaster III performs one pass over both reaches of the river, arriving from the west over the Victoria Bridge 5:40pm: A F/A-18F Super Hornet performing a display over both reaches of the river 5:50pm: Army helicopter display (2 x ARH and 2 x MRH) arriving from the west 7:00pm: A F/A-18F Super Hornet will pass from the west over Victoria Bridge igniting the fireworks display

"This is the culmination of six to eight months of planning from the design state in conjunction with Brisbane Festival to the point where we get the music and choreograph the fireworks to that soundtrack, to the factory itself in getting the fireworks prepped, getting the fireworks ready, packaging of all the containers and vehicles to the trip up here to be on site," Mr Foti said.

"Then there's the clean up as well, which everyone always forgets about. We generally do it within a day.

"Then it takes a about a week back at the factory to clean all the equipment and get it back in storage."

This year will mark Mr Foti's 10th Riverfire.

"We've come a long way in doing it. Logistically it's one of the more difficult jobs because of the amount of locations ... 18 — being the high rises, the barges, the Goodwill Bridge and of course the main focus of the Story Bridge.

People watch and photograph an RAAF F/A-18A jet from the rooftop of the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane City yesterday. ( ABC News: Giulio Saggin )

"If you can see the river, you can see the fireworks ... everyone pretty much has a front row seat in watching fireworks because you're up close and personal," Mr Foti said.

"I just say come down and enjoy the moment, have some fun and go away smiling."

While wet weather plagued Brisbane throughout the day, the Bureau of Meteorology said showers should ease in time for the show.

Keen onlookers braved the gloomy weather to set up early alongside the Brisbane River. ( ABC News: Dan Smith )

"We anticipate that when it gets darker [the showers] will get more isolated," forecaster Bryan James said.

"There's a chance of getting a shower or two during the event, but there should be less around."

Onlookers will also be able to catch an aerobatics display from Australian Defence Force jets, including Superhornets and a C-17A Globemaster.

Eager residents have already begun staking out spots to watch the display, hoping showers off the coast will hold off.

Brisbane Festival artistic director David Berthold said the fireworks display would be arranged to a soundtrack of the year's biggest songs along with some classics.

"This year I worked with Gordon Hamilton, one of Australia's most exciting young composers, on the soundtrack and I hope it will be evocative of Brisbane in the last year — great concerts, great films, great songs, great moments," Mr Berthold said.

