Vancouver Pride Week is one of the summer’s most well-attended events with over 500,000 participants and spectators who check out various events including the highlighted Pride Parade each year.
List of Events
What: Picnic in the Park
Where: Brockton Oval, Stanley Park
When: Saturday July 24, 2010 at 11:00am
Who: Youth-friendly, family-friendly
What: Pride in Art – Coming Unbuttoned
Where: Roundhouse Performance Centre
When: Tuesday July 27, 2010 at 7:00pm
What: Pride in Art – The Gayest Show on Earth
Where: Roundhouse Performance Centre
When: Tuesday July 27, 2010 at 9:00pm
What: Pride Movie Night
Where: Vancity Theatre (Davie at Seymour)
When: Thursday July 29, 2010 at 7:00pm
What: Pride Weekend Launch
When: Friday July 30, 2010 at 12:00pm
Where: J Lounge, 1216 Bute Street (off Davie)
What: TELUS Davie Street Pride Party
When: Friday July 30, 2010 at 7:00pm
Where: Davie Street from Burrard to Jervis
Info: Road closures start at 3:00pm until 12:00am
What: Terry Wallace Breakfast
When: Saturday July 31, 2010 at 9:00am
Where: Davie and Bute
What: Sunset Beach Pride Festival
When: Sunday August 1, 2010 at 11:00am
Where: Sunset Beach Festival Site
Who: Youth-friendly, family-friendly
(19+ beer garden)
What: Pride Parade
When: Sunday August 1, 2010 at 12:00pm
Where: Robson Street to Denman Street to Beach Ave.
Who: Youth-friendly, family-friendly
Info: Road closures start at 8:00am with streets cleaned and re-opened by 3:00pm
The pride parade is one of the largest of its kind in Canada and is always fun, colourful, and so energetic. Follow @VancouverPride on Twitter for updates and share your photos with them on Flickr.
The Vancouver Pride society brings together members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender community, their friends, allies and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBT community by producing free quality, inclusive events such as the Pride Parade & Pride Week Festival Events.
Update Photos from the Pride Parade are here.
This Friday campfires will be banned in all BC Parks due to the dry conditions of forest timber. The ban includes most of Vancouver Island, except a two-kilometre stretch along the island’s outer coast, and spans the mainland from the Lower Mainland to the Coast Mountains [CBC News].
It should also be noted that the risk of forest fires exists not only in campgrounds and Provincial recreation areas, but in our local parks and backyards as well. It seems as though each summer there is a small fire in a hollowed out stump in Stanley Park due to a discarded cigarette butt or attempted camp fire.
Here’s how you can be fire safe locally and around the Province:
Mow your lawn and prune hanging trees regularly
Avoid accumulations of yard debris, junk, building materials and other combustible items around your property
Avoid having backyard bonfires during the hot summer months
Do not smoke and do not discard cigarette butts in parks (this ban is already in place at Lighthouse Park)
Only have BBQs in designated park areas or cleared areas of your patio or yard
Friday’s ban on the South Coast and Vancouver Island includes campfires, fireworks, tiki torches and burning barrels
If you see something smoking or smoldering in the forest, you can report it right away by calling *5555 (mobile) or 1-800-663-5555.
Useful links:
Current forest fire danger rating
Current forest fires
Recreation Sites and Trails BC
BC Forest Fire Information – FireSafe BC
As Vancouver’s most famous beach, English Bay has been a source for views, sunsets, fireworks, and strolls since the dawn of our fair city.
In 2010 I was running a contest to win two tickets to view the Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks from the top of the Bathhouse at English Bay. I had a few people contact me to see if I made a typo asking if I meant “Boathouse” as in the restaurant across the street. It seemed odd to me that people did not know it was the Bathhouse at English Bay however it must be a common misconception based on the responses I received. As such, here’s a bit of information about English Bay and the Bathhouse’s history.
1898, English Bay. Archives Item# Be P90
Also known as First Beach, English Bay was named “Ayyulshun” by the Coast Salish First Nations, meaning “soft under feet”. The name “English Bay” commemorates the meeting of Captain George Vancouver, along with Spanish captains Valdes and Galiano, in 1792. [Tourism Vancouver]
1919, English Bay beach & bathhouse. Photographer: Walter Edwin Frost, Archives Item#CVA 447-18
History Timeline:
1893, The beach was established for recreation
1898, Sand was added to the beach and people began building summer cottages on the shore
1900s, The wooden bathhouse was built along with a long pier (toward the Sylvia) and a dance hall called “The Prom” (which only lasted about 7 years) [English Bay History]
1900s – 1920s, Joe Fortes was teaching the children of Vancouver to swim, English Bay was nicknamed “Joe’s Beach”
1930, English Bay beach & bathhouses. Photographer Stuart Thomson, Archives Item# CVA 99-2118
1931, The English Bay Bathhouse was built out of concrete, prior to this it was a large wood structure
1939, The Bathhouse was converted into Vancouver’s first public aquarium featuring Oscar, the Octopus [Vancouver History]
1946, English Bay beach & bathhouse. Archives Item# CVA 586-4568
1956, The aquarium facility was closed and manager Ivar Haglund moved to Seattle and started up a seafood business (Ivar’s Acres of Clams)
1986, A round of renovations and restorations took place
1990, The first Benson & Hedges Symphony of Fire fireworks events took place in English Bay, the bathhouse being the VIP/prime viewing area
2002, Major restorations (to renovate yet preserve) the Bathhouse took place once again
2004, The City of Vancouver bestowed an Award of Recognition to the Vancouver Park Board for the refurbishment at the English Bay Bathhouse
2010, It was announced that the Cactus Club would be building a new beach-side restaurant at the Bathhouse
1913, English Bay beach. Photographer: WJ Moore, Archives Item# LGN 1030
2014, English Bay is still home to the world’s largest offshore fireworks competition, the Honda Celebration of Light.
The Celebration of Light fireworks kick off tonight presented by Team USA. While hundreds of thousands will make their way through the West End and down to the shores of English Bay here are some tips for a fun and safe evening that can be enjoyed by all.
Celebration of Light Fireworks: Best Viewing, Road Closures, Transit
Celebration of Light Fireworks Road Closures
On all fireworks days the West End will be closed to traffic except residents (who can provide proof on the spot). Residential traffic access to the West End will be at Nelson and Thurlow, Davie and Thurlow, Burnaby and Thurlow, and at Nicola and Robson streets. For residents west of Denman, access is available on Alberni west of Denman.
These restrictions will be in place from 7:30pm until 11:30pm in the West End and from 6:00pm to 11:30pm in Kits Point. Residential and commercial traffic at Kits Point should use Maple and Cypress Street northbound to cross Cornwall to access Kits Point on event nights. No access will be permitted from Cornwall. See the City of Vancouver’s website for more details.
My crude rendering of the road closures and viewing spots
Bikes
The Celebration of Light is providing a FREE bike valet service at three locations: Under Burrard Street bridge (near Vancouver Aquatic Centre), at the Second Beach parking lot, and at King George Secondary School (Bidwell and Denman).
False Creek Ferry
All False Creek Ferry routes will be open normal hours and will close at 9:30pm. They will reopen after the fireworks and run until midnight.
Transit
Bus routes that go through the West End will be re-routed from 7:00pm on fireworks nights. As of 9:00pm buses that usually go over the Burrard Bridge (such as the #22 McDonald) will be using the Granville Bridge. West Vancouver Transit will stage approximately 15 additional buses along Georgia near Denman, to be used as required. SkyTrain (Expo, Canada, and Millennium Line) will operate at rush-hour level until 1:16am. However, Translink has stated that they will continue to run trains as long as there are still passengers around that need to get home.
- Transit supervisors will monitor service and deploy additional buses as needed.
- The 250, 250A and 257 will have additional service before and after the events.
- Some buses will be detoured, including, but not limited to, the C21, C23, 5, 6 and 22 routes.
There will be no access to Waterfront Station through the main entrance on Cordova Street except for persons with wheelchairs or strollers and the only access to Granville Station after 10:00pm will be *through the Dunsmuir Street entrance*. Tranlink will also try to prevent “seat-camping” (where you go a station ahead and ride the train back in the opposite direction) by not allowing inbound passengers to board at Stadium-Skytrain. Basically, Burrard SkyTrain outbound is your best bet.
- The last train on the Expo/Millennium Line will leave Waterfront for King George at 1:16am
- The last Canada Line train will leave Waterfront for Richmond–Brighouse at 1:15am
SkyTrain customers can pre-purchase return tickets at King George, Scott Road, Granville, Burrard, Bridgeport, Yaletown–Roundhouse and Vancouver City Centre stations.
SeaBus service will also be extended July 26: Service every 10 minutes from 11:00am to 8:45pm; every 15 minutes until 11:30pm; and every 30 minutes after 11:30pm, until the last sailing at 1:22am from the South Terminal. July 30 and August 2: Service every 15 minutes until 11:30pm and then every 30 minutes until the last departure from the South Terminal at 1:22am.
You can read all updates for the Celebration of Light on the Translink website.
Celebration of Light Fireworks Viewing Spots
If you can get to English Bay early enough to claim a square of beach or grass with a blanket that’s always your best viewing area. You can stretch down the shore a bit to Sunset Beach or toward Stanley Park and Second Beach. Across the water there’s Vanier Park, Kits Beach or Jericho.
The Kitsilano Showboat also offers free early evening entertainment and prime fireworks viewing from that side of the city.
There are harbour cruises and you can enjoy the fireworks from the water (canoe or kayak) however you will be kept at a safe distance. The side of the Burrard Bridge is a great spot as well, but get there early again to make sure you grab your piece of the railing. If you’re up for the trek, you can also view the fireworks from the lookout point on Cypress.
Remember to leave the booze, knives, and urge to get into trouble at home tonight. Come on down, have some fun, cart out whatever garbage you brought with you (or created).
This morning I had the chance to tour the Celebration of Light fireworks barge that is anchored out in English Bay. For over a decade this has been the base of each explosive evening of pyrotechnics under the stars.
Team USA will be up first tomorrow, followed by Spain July 24th, Mexico July 28th, and a tribute to China on July 31st since they have won the Celebration of Light competition for so many years. Rozzi Fireworks company will be representing the USA for the first time at the Celebration of Light. They hail from Cincinnati where they setup displays for everything from the 4th of July to Reds baseball games. They’re used to putting on a show for large crowds and Vancouver will be no exception.
Here are some tidbits I learned about fireworks production:
Teams usually select their music first and then work with a designer who will set the launching time to coordinate high points in the music with the apex of the fireworks
It can take weeks to months to match up the right explosives with the team’s music and timing
Shows like we see during one night of the Celebration of Light could cost between $150,000 to $200,000 to host
All of the shells are hand-made
There are about 3,000 shots of fireworks or shells fired per show
There are four people on the fireworks barge during the show – they sit up in a little shed surrounded by sandbags to oversee everything
Covered in sand, wires, and fire extinguishers, it’s amazing to see what that flat floating hunk of metal barge can produce in the night’s sky. It’s a culmination of careful design, precision, timing, and having a whole lot of fun when you see the joy the spectacles bring to young and old.
Reminder: You still have until July 27th to enter to win two prime viewing area seats for the fireworks finale. This includes two seats on top of the English Bay Bathhouse and a BBQ meal.
