Mexico to light up with "Time Machine" theme for Celebration of Light

Mexico to light up with "Time Machine" theme for Honda Celebration of Light

Team Mexico's setup process on the Honda Celebration of Light barge during heavy rainfall on July 24, 2023. (Grupo Avacon)

FEATURED ON THE LISTED GUIDE

Sat, May 11, 1:00pm

Free Mother's Day Flowers on Robson Street

Thu, May 16, 7:30pm

The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Guys & Dolls

Sat, May 18, 12:00pm

Brewhalla Fort Langley

Sun, May 19, 2:00pm

Spirits In The Park

Click to add your event to the Listed Events Guide

Look up over the skies of English Bay on Wednesday, July 26 for the second night of the 2023 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition, staged by Team Mexico.

The pyrotechnics team responsible for the show hails from central Mexico, based in the city of Aguascalientes — about a three-hour drive northeast of Guadalajara.

“In Mexico, we are a leading company in fireworks shows, with establishments in Baja California Sur and the central region of the country,” Osvaldo Avalos with Grupo Avacon told Daily Hive Listed in an email.

You might also like:

Grupo Avacon was founded in 2014 as a partnership between two companies, and they are amongst a growing number of fireworks companies that have also added the option of drone light shows to their offerings.

“We have successfully produced shows for government entities, international companies, renowned hotel chains, well-known artists, and prestigious private events. We have proudly participated in all of our country’s fireworks festivals, sharing our expertise and passion with the audience,” he said.

group avacon mexico rostec fireworks festival 2022 russia

Grupo Avacon’s fireworks show at the Rostec International Firework Festival in Moscow, Russia in August 2022. (Rostec)

The name and theme of their first-ever show in Vancouver is “The Time Machine,” with the “time travelling” achieved by their soundtrack selection that takes the audience on a journey through the evolution of music over the last 50 years.

“Our aim is to create a show that appeals to all ages, allowing each individual to connect with the music from their favourite era,” said Avalos, adding that this will be a “nostalgia-filled” experience.

Expect the pyro-musical to begin with classic tunes from the 1970s and the energetic beats of the 1980s, before transitioning to more contemporary music.

Their grand finale segment will draw on inspiration from Mexico’s vibrant cultural traditions — a special segment that “showcases the essence of our nation.” There will be iconic elements such as mariachi tunes and colours to represent the beauty and diversity of Mexico’s artistic heritage.

“By combining the power of music and the visual spectacle of fireworks, we hope to leave a lasting impression on our audience, providing them with a truly unforgettable and immersive entertainment experience. Our team has put their heart and soul into crafting this show, and we are excited to share this magical journey with all who attend,” he continued.

celebration of light mexico july 24 2023 setup

Team Mexico’s setup process on the Honda Celebration of Light barge during heavy rainfall on July 24, 2023. (Grupo Avacon)

Each display of the Honda Celebration of Light takes about three days to set up. Every year, all of the competing teams work closely with Winnipeg-based Archangel Fireworks, which is contracted by Brand Live — the main event organizer — to be responsible for the technical aspects of the fireworks component of the multifaceted event, and the coordination and staging of the fireworks competition.

There are 10 personnel on the barge from Archangel working on each show, plus another four crew members from the visiting team.

The winning team of the Honda Celebration of Light is determined each year by a panel of judges. This year’s judges entail Vancouver City Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, Vancouver Park Board commissioner Scott Jensen, Honda’s Ian Quinn, West End Business Improvement Association’s Gary Gohren, Concord Pacific’s Matt Meehan, Daily Hive’s Kenneth Chan, and Post Media’s Harold Munro.

The judges score each show based on the good balancing of show size (10 points), overall design and artistry (30 points), synchronization (20 points), originality of effects (15 points), quality of soundtrack (15 points), and the quality of fireworks and technical precision (10 points). Each show is scored out of 100 possible points.

This is the first time Mexico has been represented at the Honda Celebration of Light since 2010, when a different Mexican pyrotechnic company took to the skies. Mexico last won at the Vancouver fireworks competition in 2006.

Team Mexico’s setup process on the Honda Celebration of Light barge during heavy rainfall on July 24, 2023. (Grupo Avacon)

On Monday, Grupo Avacon endured dreary, wet conditions for their setup process on the barge in the middle of English Bay, but the weather has greatly improved Tuesday as of the time of writing, with rainfall now dissipating on the final full day of setup.

The Weather Network’s latest forecast calls for mainly sunny conditions on Wednesday, with a daytime high of 21°C. Partly cloudy skies are expected by 10 pm when the fireworks begin, with temperatures hovering at 16°C. No precipitation is expected. Light winds of up to six km/hr are forecasted during showtime.

For those waiting for the fireworks on the sandy beaches, the showtime coincides with the latter stages of the rising tide cycle. The tide will reach an evening low of three metres at 6 pm before gradually ascending to 4.2 metres at midnight, with a height of 3.9 metres by 10 pm. This will impact beach capacity as the evening progresses.

As per tradition, each show runs for a length of 25 minutes. The simulcast will be played on big speakers at English Bay Beach, but for those who are watching the show from other locations, radio station CFMI Rock 101 will be playing the soundtrack.

Those arriving in and around English Bay early will also be able to enjoy pre-fireworks entertainment, including the Red Bull Air Show starting at 7:40 pm for all three nights.

I say this every year, but this is peak Vancouver. #CelebOfLight #HCOL23 pic.twitter.com/ldD8j8hRwu

— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) July 23, 2023

The first night of the 2023 fireworks competition was Saturday, July 26, with Sydney-based Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics staging an “A Good Night Out” theme representing Australia. The final night on Saturday, July 29 will be put on by Blue Peacock Fireworks, representing The Philippines.

For the first time in at least many years, the final night of the Honda Celebration of Light will not coincide with the BC Day long weekend and the Vancouver Pride Parade, which is scheduled for Sunday, August 6.

Honda Celebration of Light fireworks 2023

Schedule and nations:
- Saturday, July 22: Australia 🇦🇺, represented by Howard & Sons
  - With pre-fireworks Red Bull Air Show at 7:40 pm
- Wednesday, July 26: Mexico 🇲🇽, represented by Grupo Avacon
  - With pre-fireworks Red Bull Air Show at 7:40 pm
- Saturday, July 29: The Philippines 🇵🇭, represented by Blue Peacock
  - With pre-fireworks Red Bull Air Show at 7:40 pm
Fireworks Time: 10 pm to 10:25 pm (25-minute fireworks duration each night). Rain or shine.
Location: English Bay, Vancouver

Daily Hive is a Proud Media Partner of the
2023 Honda Celebration of Light

You might also like: