Vancouver's New Year's Eve fireworks cancelled again

It will be yet another quieter year for New Year’s Eve festivities in downtown Vancouver, as the official public fireworks celebration for Vancouver has been cancelled again.

In a statement today, the Vancouver New Year’s Eve Celebration Society says the cancellation of the event on December 31, 2023, to ring in 2024 is due to the continued pandemic impacts on event costs and sponsorship revenue potential. The last NYE fireworks event was held before the pandemic.

“This decision has not been made lightly, and we understand the disappointment this may bring to the community. The unfortunate cancellation is due to escalating costs and the highly challenging sponsorship market amidst the current economic conditions,” reads the statement.

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The non-profit organization says they are continuing their efforts to revive the event in the future. The event was previously held at Coal Harbour in the area around the Vancouver Convention Centre, where it saw over 100,000 annual spectators. Organizers announced before the pandemic the event would be relocated to East False Creek.

“We understand that the absence of this cherished tradition can be frustrating, but we want to assure our community that we are actively working to secure the necessary funding and resources to reinstate the beloved New Year’s Eve celebration in the future,” continues the statement.

“We appreciate the ongoing support and enthusiasm of Vancouver’s residents and visitors and look forward to the possibility of resuming the celebration in the coming years.”

The event’s title sponsor Concord Pacific states it increased its sponsorship commitment, but it was still far from sufficient to cover costs.

“We are sad to hear that it couldn’t come together. It’s an expensive endeavour and a mountain of work for the Society. We offered to double our commitment from the last year it ran, but that doesn’t even cover half the costs,” said Peter Udzenija, the Director of Corporate Relations for Concord Pacific.

“In addition to major events including the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival and Celebration of light, we expanded our overall community presence over the past few years with the new Tour de Concord, Four Fires Indigenous Racing Festival and the hosting of Pride.”

Many free public events across BC have been forced to downsize or cancel due to skyrocketing costs, which are not matched by a proportional increase in sponsorship revenues.

Last month, organizers of the Vancouver Santa Clause Parade announced their event would be cancelled again this year due to sponsorship issues. The event would otherwise be typically held in early December in downtown Vancouver.

As well, the annual Canada Day at Canada Place fireworks have been permanently cancelled, with the port authority blaming the rising costs for events, safety, and security.

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• Lights of Hope fireworks return to St. Paul's Hospital to brighten the holiday season
• Ho Ho No: Vancouver Santa Claus Parade is officially cancelled this year
• Canada Day fireworks in Vancouver permanently cancelled
• Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim sets forth on bringing back civic pride, fun, and events