A popular — and explosive — summer pastime for many in the Lower Mainland has been kiboshed.
Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society (VFFS) has made the difficult decision to cancel the Honda Celebration of Light indefinitely, the society announed in a Wednesday (Nov. 26) release.
The free fireworks events, which ran for more than three decades in the city — first as the Symphony of Fire, then as the Honda Celebration of Light for the past 13 years — has been Canada’s largest free public event and one of B.C. strongest tourism drivers, the release said.
Despite reaching out to governments and the business community for many months, the event has faced significant challenges over the past three years due to rising production costs, the elimination of federal funding, a dramatic reduction in provincial support, and declining private-sector investment, the non-profit VFFS said, adding it can no longer continue to “go cap in hand” each year to keep the event afloat.
“For 33 years, this event has been a cornerstone of Vancouver’s summer — a shared experience that brought families, friends, and visitors together from across the province and around the world,” said VFFS co-chair Michael McKnight. “Ending that tradition is incredibly painful, but we simply can’t continue.”
In recent years, event producers BrandLIVE had introduced ticketed seating and viewing lounges, corporate hosting opportunities and other ways to generate additional revenues to sustain the festival, but without government grants and private sponsorship, the free community event is no longer financially sustainable.
With major supplier contracts and pyrotechnic bookings now requiring immediate financial commitments to stage a 2026 festival, VFFS has determined it cannot move forward.
“To say it hurts to make this decision is an understatement,” said HCOL executive producer Paul Runnals.
“For our team, our volunteers, our partners, and everyone who has poured their time and energy into this event year after year, this is personal. However, VFFS and BrandLIVE have exhausted every option to keep the festival going. Our hope is that by being transparent about the financial realities, that governments and partners might step up to create a long-term solution that allows the Honda Celebration of Light to return stronger and more sustainable at some point in the future.”
Organizers extended a heartfelt ‘thank-you’ to Honda, whose enduring support and commitment as title partner for the past 13 years have been “essential to sustaining this iconic event and creating lasting memories for millions across British Columbia and beyond,” and also acknowledged the longstanding contributions of Concord, Tymac, the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Parks Board, and dedicated emergency service partners, whose continued support and focus on safety help make this celebration possible every year.