EventsNewsSummerCelebration of LightDH Community Partnership

Team Nova Scotia wins 2025 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition

Kenneth Chan
Kenneth Chan
|
Jul 29 2025, 3:00 pm
Team Nova Scotia wins 2025 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition
Team Nova Scotia at the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks. (Gabriel Lam/Meimento)

Team Nova Scotia has been named the winner of the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light, following a powerful finale that closed out this year’s all-Canadian edition of Vancouver’s annual fireworks competition.

The panel of judges determined Fireworks FX — the Nova Scotia pyrotechnics company based in the Annapolis Valley, about a one-hour drive from Halifax — as the overall winner.

Their show was distinguished by its exceptional technical execution — including razor-sharp synchronization, intricate firing patterns, and the creative use of six-inch shells to achieve the scale and intensity of much larger effects. They also had a single strong, cohesive, and consistent theme that was driven by their pyromusical soundtrack, with Fireworks FX choosing an all-Indigenous Canadian lineup of songs that offered a dynamic range of emotional highs and lows.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Fireworks FX team and Nova Scotia for their remarkable win and acknowledge the impressive performances of Team Yukon and Team Quebec,” said Yuri Fulmer, board member of the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society, in a statement.

“We’re also deeply grateful to the staff, volunteers, and sponsors who make this beloved community celebration possible every year.”

Team Yukon, represented by Midnight Sun Fireworks, opened the competition with an imaginative “20,000 Leagues Under English Bay” theme. On the second night, Team Quebec, represented by Royal Pyrotechnie, delivered a high-energy “Champions” show, featuring sports anthems that celebrated victory and perseverance.

Each year, a small panel of judges scores every fireworks performance across a range of criteria, with each judge awarding up to 100 points — for a maximum possible total of 700 points, based on having seven judges for 2025. The team with the highest combined score is declared the winner.

Team Nova Scotia emerged as the top performer with a leading score of 633 points from the judges, followed by Team Yukon with 598 points and Team Quebec with 592 points. These totals translate to average scores out of 100 of 90.4 for Team Nova Scotia, 85.4 for Team Yukon, and 84.6 for Team Quebec. In addition to winning the judges’ vote, Team Nova Scotia was also named the “People’s Choice,” according to organizers.

Judges assess performances using a set of defined categories. Up to 10 points are awarded for the overall scale and balance of the display, including the use of vertical space and the strength of the finale. Design and artistic merit — encompassing visual structure, rhythm, and overall creativity — carry the most weight, with a maximum of 30 points.

Synchronization and timing with the soundtrack can earn up to 20 points, while another 15 points are reserved for originality and the use of new or novel effects.

Judges also assess the soundtrack itself — its emotional impact, integration with the visuals, and overall quality — for up to 15 points. Finally, technical precision and the calibre of the pyrotechnic products used round out the scoring with an additional 10 points.

This year’s judging panel entails Vancouver city councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, Vancouver Park Board commissioner Laura Christensen, Honda title sponsor representative Zachary Lai, West End Business Improvement Association board member Lisa Arthurs, Vancouver Sun and The Province city editor Douglas Quan, and Daily Hive Urbanized editor Kenneth Chan.

Vancouver resident Lisa Michaud and her daughter were selected by Concord Pacific as the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light’s family judge through the Generational Jury Draw, which invited multi-generational families to help evaluate the fireworks. For Michaud, the experience was especially meaningful — her family watched the fireworks on their first day moving to Vancouver a decade ago, making the opportunity to judge this year’s show a full-circle moment.

Building on last year’s success, this year marked the second time the Honda Celebration of Light featured a pre-fireworks drone show, along with a 50/50 draw that raised a total of $27,295 — split evenly between the winner and the festival organizers.

However, the future of the event remains uncertain due to rising costs and declining financial support. The annual festival operates on a seven-figure budget, with its post-pandemic revival initially bolstered by provincial and federal funding. But provincial support is set to decrease from $250,000 in 2025 to just $100,000 in 2026, and no federal funding was provided this year.

As a result, organizers are warning that Vancouver’s iconic summertime fireworks tradition — which draws up to 500,000 people to the beaches and parks around English Bay each night — may not return in 2026. They are calling on sponsors and governments to support major events that generate significant community and economic benefits.

“Given these challenges, we can’t confirm whether the event will return in 2026,” said
Paul Runnals, Executive Producer for the Honda Celebration of Light.

“What’s urgently needed is a sustainable and predictable funding model that recognizes the cultural and economic value of events like this. We’re hopeful we can sit down with private and government partners soon to discuss what that support could look like.”

Relive Team Yukon’s entire 25-minute show at the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light:

Relive Team Quebec’s entire 25-minute show at the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light:

Relive Team Nova Scotia’s entire 25-minute show at the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light:

Daily Hive is a proud media partner of the
2025 Honda Celebration of Light

ADVERTISEMENT