Festivals & Events in Metro Vancouver

[Glow Fun City]

Seems really short sighted for the province to not kick in a million bucks if it would get them five or six in sales tax revenue…

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

It's a $600k shortfall; even a 1% increase in property taxes would add $12 million. Expect every opposition party to have "bring the fireworks back" front and centre on their platform.

Why should Vancouver pay?

[WarrenC12]

Fireworks have been "cancelled" several times. It's no coincidence they are saying this months in advance of the regular show time. There's a good chance somebody will chip in to sponsor them.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Maybe some of those AI companies / tech billionaires could start spending their share on civic events… yeah, that ain’t ever happening!

And isn't it strange that a city that is one of North America's top luxury car markets (despite middling population) doesn't have enough wealthy people to muster any kind of sponsorship money? Surely the residents of all those $10 million+ Shaughnessy mansions must control companies capable of sponsoring such events....

[jollyburger]

Increase property taxes 10% and have fireworks every night.

If they changed the operating structure that might open up some other federal funding options

Although the non-profit Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society oversees the $3 million event, it is produced by for-profit BrandLive. That structure disqualifies the festival from several federal arts and culture funding streams, including Canadian Heritage grants.

https://vancouversun.com/news/could-be-vancouvers-last-celebration-light-producer-warns

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Why should Vancouver pay?

Because it's Vancouver's fireworks that mostly benefit Vancouverites? Even if we do get a get a new sponsor or more provincial/fed money by next summer, it'd be great to have a more reliable source (maybe even expansion).

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Because it's Vancouver's fireworks that mostly benefit Vancouverites? Even if we do get a get a new sponsor or more provincial/fed money by next summer, it'd be great to have a more reliable source (maybe even expansion).

Vancouver already pays a ton in policing and cleanup costs I'm sure.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Maybe some of those AI companies / tech billionaires could start spending their share on civic events… yeah, that ain’t ever happening!

It's sort of a two-fold problem:

1. Vancouver has never had a huge corporate base to begin with, which has always made getting those types of sponsorships & donors particularly difficult (eg. that was a big part of why the Grizzlies were lost).

2. More broadly, despite ever-growing wealth & profits, there's been a turn away from philanthropy or sponsorship amongst the ultra-rich (and by extension, the corporations they run) of late. As you note, this seems particularly acute in the Tech industry, where all of the wealth gets funnelled back into private hands or niche causes.


Aside from the corporate sponsorship side of things though, it's also disappointing (and short sighted) to see the province & feds pulling back on funding.

[trofirhen]

In a city with a metro population pushing 3 million, the relative weakness of cultural events and organizations in Vancouver is disappointing. // Back in 1958 -and how many years ago is that !! -
Vancouver had its first (correct me if I'm wrong) of the annual series of The Vancouver Festival, which ran until the mid-60s then ceased. The music that year, looking it up, was as highbrow and "recherché" as you can get.
I was practically unborn at that time, so cannot supply first hand evidence, but what I am saying is that where there's the will, there's a way. Look at Seatte and its history. Music has always been so big there, and yes, yes, they have a bigger corporate base and more wealth all around, but they have the enthusiasm and interest to make it work. The general population in Vancouver seems either overall less culture-minded, or else fractured into specialised groups too small to be recognised by the "grand public."

[SpongeG]

does any rememver the seafest thing that had a bathtub race? what was it called? Seafest? or was that Seattles one.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

does any rememver the seafest thing that had a bathtub race? what was it called? Seafest? or was that Seattles one.

I think Seattle's was "SEAFAIR." The bathtub race to Nanaimo and back was definitely a Vancouver thing, part of the Sea Festival.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

It's sort of a two-fold problem:

1. Vancouver has never had a huge corporate base to begin with, which has always made getting those types of sponsorships & donors particularly difficult (eg. that was a big part of why the Grizzlies were lost).

2. More broadly, despite ever-growing wealth & profits, there's been a turn away from philanthropy or sponsorship amongst the ultra-rich (and by extension, the corporations they run) of late. As you note, this seems particularly acute in the Tech industry, where all of the wealth gets funnelled back into private hands or niche causes.


Aside from the corporate sponsorship side of things though, it's also disappointing (and short sighted) to see the province & feds pulling back on funding.

Again, I pass late model Bentleys and Rolls Royces practically every day in Vancouver. Why aren't those folks ponying up some donation money?

[svlt]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Again, I pass late model Bentleys and Rolls Royces practically every day in Vancouver. Why aren't those folks ponying up some donation money?

At one point you just sort of have to throw up your hands and offer up the simplest solution: pure greed. I respect enough the wealthy that put the money back into the economy - build a house, buy a car, throw up a vanity restaurant project, donate to a building or facility and get your name on it. Great! The ones that don't spend a dime and just sit on mountains of paper wealth likely gained through some kind of zero value added to society asset transfer...

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

I think Seattle's was "SEAFAIR." The bathtub race to Nanaimo and back was definitely a Vancouver thing, part of the Sea Festival.

ah ok, would be nice to have something like that again.

I saw this schedule for the Pac Coliseum lighting schedule, I never knew they lit it up.

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

ah ok, would be nice to have something like that again.

I saw this schedule for the Pac Coliseum lighting schedule, I never knew they lit it up.

Nothing for Hanukkah? 🕎

[WarrenC12]

Nice that they light up PC but can you really see it from anywhere? North Shore maybe?

[whatnext]

Another event organizer pulls the plug:

'Difficult decision': All Vancouver Car Free Days cancelled in 2026

[Tysonbrown]

Celebration of Light 2026 is a million dollars short this year so, it was cancelled. Sim's, "one nite only" event will cost approx $750,000.00.
I think he has lost his mind. Why didn't you just give that money to Celebration of Light?CUCKOO'S NEST!

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Tysonbrown

Celebration of Light 2026 is a million dollars short this year so, it was cancelled. Sim's, "one nite only" event will cost approx $750,000.00.
I think he has lost his mind. Why didn't you just give that money to Celebration of Light?CUCKOO'S NEST!

Looks like Councillors Maloney & Orr are trying a similar tactic:

...According to One City’s release, the society said that the festival was cancelled due to a budget shortfall of “just” $30,000. Orr and Maloney’s motion proposes to provide that $30,000 funding by mid-April, so that Car Free Days can go ahead this year.

Earlier this year, we learned that a one-night Vancouver fireworks event was approved with a budget of $2 million. The release from One City suggests that, assuming a 40-minute fireworks show, it constitutes an expenditure of $50,000 per minute.

“Car Free Day can be saved for under a minute’s worth of ABC’s fireworks budget,” the release says....

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-car-free-days-motion-save-abc

[WarrenC12]

$30k will save all 4 or 5 of these days? I don't believe that math.

But much like the Fireworks, the devil is in the details. The CoV already spends $1.5M on the fireworks, Sim's money is additional to that, I think.