Communications agency Imagination has been selected as the creative event partner and producer for the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review pyrotechnics and lightshow.

The event will be held on the evening of October 5 this year and is described as the “jewel in the crown for the week-long celebrations”.

A release said the event is “billed to be one of the biggest events in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics” and will “rival Sydney New Year’s Eve”.

Imagination is also the creative team behind Sydney’s NYE celebrations and will direct and produce the Navy’s outdoor event.

Anthony Gowthorp, managing director of Imagination, said: “The entire Fleet Review is going to be bigger than anything held on Sydney Harbour in recent years, with the Navy expecting warships  and tall-ships from over 20 countries. It’s our job to design a show that celebrates the Navy’s centenary in Sydney proud history in a way that appeals to millions of people around the harbour, on television, and around the world.”

The event will mark 100 years since the first fleet of seven Royal Australian Navy vessels entered the harbour, with more than 1 million people expected to attend.