The 2020 Honda Celebration of Light has been cancelled
British Columbia’s largest event, the Honda Celebration of Light, has been cancelled for 2020.
The announcement was made on Monday, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in British Columbia.
Organizers said in a statement that they must “accept the reality” that the event will not happen as planned come summer. Rather, they’re exploring different options in lieu of a physical event.
“The Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society, in partnership with the event producer, BRANDLIVE Management Group, is exploring the options for a different type of celebration in 2020,” reads an emailed statement. “We hope to be able to make an announcement very soon, and in the meantime wish to thank our many partners, sponsors, participating countries and our millions of fans across the province and around the world for their ongoing support.”
This would have been the event’s 30th year.
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The three-night competition has since grown to become the world’s longest-running offshore fireworks competition, taking over the skies over Vancouver’s English Bay.
With over 400,000 guests in attendance on each night of the fireworks, the celebration is one of the most highly anticipated events of the summer.
The Celebration of Light secured part of a $1.6 million investment from the provincial government in 2019, after an application was submitted to BC’s Tourism Events Program.
The cancellation follows Saturday’s press conference, in which BC’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said people should temper their expectations for what this summer might look like when it comes to planned private gatherings such as weddings and large-scale public events.
Over the weekend, the Vancouver Pride Society announced that it would be shifting its celebrations to a series of online events. The PNE also said that its events this summer could be smaller and include different protocols.
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