Latest news with #HondaCelebrationofLight
CTV News
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Team Nova Scotia wins 2025 Celebration of Light fireworks show
People watch Team Nova Scotia during the Celebration of Light on July 26. (Courtesy: @celeboflight/Instagram) Judges have declared Team Nova Scotia the winner of the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition, The Maritime province, represented by Fireworks FX, also took the People's Choice Award in this year's event, which was the first all-Canadian showcase in its 35-year history. In a news release, organizers said Team Nova Scotia's 'stunning, tightly choreographed performance' earned a score of 633 points, topping Team Yukon's 598 points and Team Quebec's 592 points. 'We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Fireworks FX team and Nova Scotia for their remarkable win,' said Paul Runnals, Celebration of Light executive producer, in a statement. Meanwhile, the long-running competition – which has suffered from unpredictable funding over the years – is once again facing an uncertain future. According to organizers, costs have increased more than 30 per cent since the COVID-19 pandemic, while government support has been shrinking. Organizers said the B.C. government is expected to slash funding from $250,000 this year to $100,000 next year, and the federal government, which provided $250,000 last year through its PacifiCan economic development agency, has not made any further commitments so far. 'Given these challenges, we can't confirm whether the event will return in 2026,' said Runnals, who is calling for a 'sustainable and predictable funding model.' 'We're hopeful we can sit down with private and government partners soon to discuss what that support could look like.' CTV News has reached out to B.C.'s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport for comment on the event's funding trouble. Police said there were no major safety incidents during this year's Celebration of Light, which was subject to heightened security following April's deadly Lapu-Lapu Day attack. A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death in downtown Vancouver on the night of the first fireworks show, though authorities have not made any connection between his killing and the event.
The Province
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The Province
Team Nova Scotia wins 2025 Celebration of Light fireworks competition
Organizers warn Vancouver's annual fireworks show might be in jeopardy due to decreased public funding More than 1.2 million people watch the three-night Honda Celebration of Light festival along the waterfront of English Bay. Photo by Douglas Quan / PNG The team from Nova Scotia has been named the winner of the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light after a three-night all-Canadian fireworks competition in Vancouver's English Bay. Teams from Yukon, Quebec and Nova Scotia oohed and aahed the more than 1.2 million people who watched the spectacular pyrotechnics display light up the skies over downtown Vancouver on July 19, 23, and 26. Team Fireworks FX of Nova Scotia won both the People's Choice and Judge's Competition Award with what organizers described as a 'stunning, tightly choreographed performance.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The team earned 633 points, ahead of Team Yukon, which placed second with 598 points and Team Quebec, at 592 points. The Celebration of Light fireworks competition is the longest-running offshore fireworks competition in the world, drawing more than a million people annually and generating more than $265 million in economic activity, said organizers. The $3 million event is produced by Vancouver-based BrandLive Management Group and overseen by the volunteer-run Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society. Since the pandemic, production costs have increased by more than 30 per cent, while provincial funding is expected to drop from $250,000 to $100,000 next year, organizers said. Federal funding was not available for 2025. 'Given these challenges, we can't confirm whether the event will return in 2026,' said executive producer Paul Runnels in a statement. 'What's urgently needed is a sustainable and predictable funding model that recognizes the cultural and economic value of events like this.' chchan@ Read More Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Canucks Local News Vancouver Canucks Golf
Vancouver Sun
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Team Nova Scotia wins 2025 Celebration of Light fireworks competition
The team from Nova Scotia has been named the winner of the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light after a three-night all-Canadian fireworks competition in Vancouver's English Bay. Teams from Yukon, Quebec and Nova Scotia oohed and aahed the more than 1.2 million people who watched the spectacular pyrotechnics display light up the skies over downtown Vancouver on July 19, 23, and 26. Team Fireworks FX of Nova Scotia won both the People's Choice and Judge's Competition Award with what organizers described as a 'stunning, tightly choreographed performance.' A post shared by Honda Celebration of Light (@celeboflight) The team earned 633 points, ahead of Team Yukon, which placed second with 598 points and Team Quebec, at 592 points. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The Celebration of Light fireworks competition is the longest-running offshore fireworks competition in the world, drawing more than a million people annually and generating more than $265 million in economic activity, said organizers. The $3 million event is produced by Vancouver-based BrandLive Management Group and overseen by the volunteer-run Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society. Since the pandemic, production costs have increased by more than 30 per cent, while provincial funding is expected to drop from $250,000 to $100,000 next year, organizers said. Federal funding was not available for 2025. 'Given these challenges, we can't confirm whether the event will return in 2026,' said executive producer Paul Runnels in a statement. 'What's urgently needed is a sustainable and predictable funding model that recognizes the cultural and economic value of events like this.' chchan@
The Province
2 days ago
- The Province
Big crowds, little trouble during Celebration of Light fireworks: VPD
Hundreds of thousands descended on the beaches along English Bay for the annual three-night fireworks festival. Here's how it went File photo of crowds at English Bay for the annual fireworks festival. Photo by Rob Kruyt / for PNG Hundreds of thousands of people descended on Vancouver for three summer nights over the past couple of weeks. You know what happened? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Everyone had a great time and there were no major police incidents. Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison said it is difficult to estimate how big the crowds were for the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks shows. But organizers usually report about 300,000 people or more lining both sides of English Bay and milling through the streets of the West End and Kitsilano neighbourhoods each night. Addison said the Saturday finale was 'extremely busy,' as were the earlier two nights, Saturday and Wednesday, July 19 and 23. Though the displays are usually international, this year's shows were an all-Canadian affair with fireworks displays by teams from Yukon, Quebec and Nova Scotia. The throngs that take over downtown beaches are a tough assignment for police every year, and it has led to random fights, excessive drinking and other related mayhem in years past. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Logistically, this is a very challenging series of events for us, due to the volume of people on land, the number of vessels in the water, the expansive road closures, and the number of extra officers we need to deploy,' said Addison in response to questions about how crowds behaved. 'This has all taken on extra significance following the Lapu Lapu attack,' he noted. But this year, everything went off without a hitch — or at least a major hitch. 'While there are always issues to deal with — parents and children getting separated, intoxication and physical confrontations — by and large, it was a safe and successful three nights with no major public safety incidents at the waterfront.' There was a violent attack close to midnight after the first Saturday show, in the area of Robson Square downtown, in which a 15-year-old tragically died of stabbing injuries. But that incident, in the area of Robson Square in the centre of the downtown peninsula, was unrelated to the fireworks crowds, police said. jruttle@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Whitecaps News Sports Tennis
Global News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Global News
Celebration of Light's funding woes a sign of trouble for arts and culture sector
The organizers of Vancouver's marquee summer fireworks display say funding challenges could see the event fizzle in years to come. The Honda Celebration of Light is set to put on its final display of the summer on Saturday, but executive producer Paul Runnals said it's not clear if organizers will be able to bring the event back. 'We have had a reduction of government funding at both levels, both provincially and federally. We lost federal funding altogether this year, and our provincial funding has been cut by 65 per cent going into next year, so combined, those two equal a $650,000 swing in government support for the event,' Paul Runnals said. At the same time, Runnals argues the event draws hundreds of thousands of people to the region, contributing $4 million to economic activity every year. The Celebration of Light is not alone. Other major public events in B.C. are reporting similar conditions. Story continues below advertisement The Vancouver Pride Parade this year was forced to shorten its route as it grapples with funding challenges. 1:50 Preparing for the Celebration of Light fireworks show Organizers of the Mission Folk Festival say there is growing demand every year for a shrinking pool of grant and sponsorship dollars. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'For the first time this year, we were informed by a grantor that our application was excellent, that we absolutely met the criteria of the grant, but there simply was not enough funding to fund all of the eligible applications,' artistic director Michelle Demers Shaevitz told Global News. 'We are seeing across the country funding cuts, grant changes, orgs that have traditionally funded the kind of programming we do are either changing their focus or their funders are changing their focus, and it all trickles down.' Making matters worse, the arts and culture sector is dealing with surging costs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Story continues below advertisement Along with the inflationary pressures being felt by all businesses, they're also on the hook for growing security costs, particularly in the wake of the Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day festival attack. 'We've seen cost escalations of 20 to 30 per cent coming out of COVID,' Runnals said. 'The reality is none of us have been able to make up that shortfall and these increased costs. We're not alone… I have talked to a number of other major events that are in the same boat as us, there is a real risk we are going to see multiple major events dropping off the calendar.' The federal government provides more than $300 million per year in arts and culture funding. Earlier this week, Ottawa announced $1.8 million in support for Montreal's Just for Laughs. The comedy festival went bankrupt last year, and has been mired in controversy over sexual assault allegations against its original founder. Some in B.C.'s festival world feel like the money isn't being doled out equally. 'The west does not get the same level of attention, in particular British Columbia,' Runnals said. 0:56 Crowds entertained by Snowbirds at Saturday's Celebration of Lights '(The Calgary) Stampede has definitely received quite a bit of money over the years, and obviously, back east there is quite a bit going around, but we seem to really struggle out here.' Story continues below advertisement Ottawa did provide $250,000 to the Festival of Lights for its 2024 season, and Runnals is hopeful the event will land back on Ottawa's radar. In the meantime, he said the hunt for sponsors and grant money comes at the cost of time that could be spent improving the event itself. In the meantime, he has a message for those holding the purse strings. 'I feel very strongly about the value these events, not just ours, any of these major events bring in terms of community and giving people things to look forward to … 98 per cent of the people who attend that event attend it for free,' Runnals said. 'We're not out there making millions of dollars, we are out there delivering an incredible experience to millions of people and generating a ton of jobs, a ton of economic impact and providing that sense of community … it boggles my mind some days we have to fight so hard to get the attention and support that we need.'
