"Pretty depressing": Vancouverites disappointed by city's lack of New Year's Eve celebrations
While other cities around the world rang in the new year with dazzling fireworks, drone displays, and large-scale celebrations, Vancouver had a much quieter NYE, and some people weren’t too happy about it.
Although Vancouver hasn’t had New Year’s Eve celebrations for a number of years, thousands of folks still headed to the downtown core in hopes of catching a fireworks show.
T-10 minutes until midnight. đź••
No New Year’s Eve fireworks at Coal Harbour, but there are thousands of people outside Canada Place and along the Vancouver Convention Centre seawall.
People huddled along the railing, phones pointed toward the water. #NYE pic.twitter.com/4rt0aqRZJW
— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) January 1, 2025
T-30 minutes until midnight. 🕦
A large crowd is quickly growing at the Gastown Steam Clock for an impromptu countdown this New Year’s Eve. #NYE pic.twitter.com/06SpX6S5sz
— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) January 1, 2025
Even with the lack of planned festivities, folks still joined in on an impromptu countdown to ring in 2025.
3, 2, 1… Happy New Year, Vancouver! 🕛🎉🥂🥳
Wishing everyone a bright 2025. May this year bring great health, success, growth, adventures & memories.
And we CAN & we WILL have a real comeback grand #NYE fireworks public celebration for December 31, 2025 to ring in 2026. 🎇 pic.twitter.com/Rpw2QbKkGE
— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) January 1, 2025
However, many also expressed their dismay with the city’s lack of organized celebrations.
One Redditor who said they’re new to Vancouver shared that they felt “disappointed to see nothing. Not even confetti.”
“You can’t expect much for a place known for being the No Fun City,” said another commenter.
“Saw it on a number of Tiktok lives, was pretty depressing looking to be honest, a far cry from Vancouver 10 years ago,” wrote one person.
Others took to X to express their frustration.
sucks Vancouver doesnt do fireworks anymore
— CC (@iamccards) January 1, 2025
Ridiculous that Vancouver didn’t have fireworks or a drone show last night.
Proper public celebrations are very important for our sense of community and for civic pride.
Vancouver taxpayers deserve better. https://t.co/fvFzKUMHQk
— Mark Marissen 🇨🇦 🇳🇱 (@marissenmark) January 1, 2025
The people have nowhere to go so they just gather in the streets. Not one family friendly event in all of Vancouver. No fireworks, no drone show, nothing. Vancouver is definitely not a world class city.
— craig beckstrom (@BeckstromCraig) January 1, 2025
Happy New Year 2025 from #Vancouver everyone! 🥳 But how come we are “no fun city” and #Seattle has a great drone show, fireworks 🎆 from the Space Needle and live TV coverage? Do better Vancouver! #vanpoli #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/DVS5B9tnJs
— Bill Tieleman (@BillTieleman) January 1, 2025
Prior to the pandemic, an annual New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular drew upwards of 100,000 spectators to the area in and around Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver. Subsequently, the show was planned to relocate to East False Creek near Science World.
However, the event has gone dark for several years now due to the non-profit organization’s challenges with securing sufficient sponsorship amid escalating costs following the pandemic.
Concord Pacific, the previous title sponsor of the New Year’s Eve Vancouver fireworks event, offered more funding for the event in 2023, but it was still far from sufficient to cover costs.
The closest NYE fireworks displays were at Grouse Mountain and Cypress Mountain, as well as the Space Needle in Seattle.
What are your thoughts about the lacklustre New Year’s Eve celebrations in Vancouver? Let us know in the comments.