Gourmet Cabaret Cirque approved to return in late 2021 at new Vanier Park location

Feb 26 2021, 8:40 pm

After a two-year hiatus, the Bacio Rosso Gourmet Cabaret Cirque event that was held at Queen Elizabeth Park under a big enclosed tent could return as early as late 2021 at a new location close to downtown Vancouver.

On Monday, Vancouver Park Board commissioners unanimously approved a request from the event organizer to relocate the event to the Burrard Civic Marina land storage area on the Kitsilano waterfront, immediately east of Vanier Park’s green space.

The event offers over 300 seated guests a fully immersive three-hour performance hosted inside an antique Spiegeltent tent lined with plush red velvet, woodwork, and beveled mirrors, with circus artists, comedians, singers, magicians, and a four-piece musical ensemble. All of this is complemented by a four-course gourmet meal.

Acrobats Cassie Oliver at the Bacio Rosso Gourmet Cabaret Cirque. (Bacio Rosso)

The inaugural event — running several nights each week from November 1, 2018 to March, 2019 — saw over 18,000 guests, and received an “overwhelmingly positive” response from attendees and international artists. Based on the Park Board’s post-event surveys, 98% of attendees enjoyed their experience, and 99% wanted more events like this in Vancouver.

But some complaints from the residential neighbourhood to the south led to the Park Board’s decision to work with organizers to find a new location for the event. Bacio Rosso was held at the pitch and putt parking lot of the park, occupying a footprint of 20,000 sq ft or 75% of the parking lot.

A total of 45 complaints were logged over the months-long event, with 37 of the complaints being noise-related, with most originating from six to eight households located closest to the event site.

Bacio Rosso Gourmet Cabaret Cirque Vanier Park

New location of Bacio Rosso Gourmet Cabaret at the Burrard Civic Marina land storage area next to Vanier Park. (Vancouver Park Board)

Bacio Rosso Gourmet Cabaret Cirque Vanier Park

New location of Bacio Rosso Gourmet Cabaret at the Burrard Civic Marina land storage area next to Vanier Park. (Vancouver Park Board)

For this reason, the new location next to Vanier Park — away from residential areas — has been deemed a suitable location for the event’s future.

The marine land storage area also meets the organizer’s requirements of a paved surface or hardscape, which is critical for enabling the event during Vancouver’s wet winter months. As a further mitigation measure, the tent insulation will be increased to reduce potential sound bleed.

The Park Board’s decision this week grants the event a duration window of between November 2021 and March 2022, but the exact event dates have yet to be decided due to the current COVID-19 pandemic realities. A final decision by organizers on whether to proceed with an event next winter will be made by early summer.

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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