Celebration of Light Cancelled Indefinitely

The Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society (VFFS) has made the difficult decision to cancel the Honda Celebration of Light indefinitely, after many months of outreach to governments and the business community.

Running for over three decades, Vancouver’s annual fireworks competition is Canada’s largest free public event, where hundreds of thousands of spectators flock to beaches around English Bay each night. It’s also one of BC’s strongest tourism drivers.

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.

Celebration of Light Cancelled Indefinitely

The non-profit society that runs the event, says 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 Michael McKnight, Co-Chair, VFFS. “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, the Society determined it cannot move forward.

“To say it hurts to make this decision is an understatement,” said Paul Runnals, Executive Producer, HCOL. “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.”

In a press release this morning, organizers said that only long-term government funding commitment will resurrect event in the future.

Organizers are extending 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. Also acknowledged are 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.