Preparations are underway in downtown Vancouver to ring in the new year in style.
Officials are anticipating thousands of people at Jack Poole Plaza for Concord’s NYE Vancouver.
This year’s New Year’s Eve event will feature a free outdoor party from 7 p.m. to midnight with a DJ stage and a series of colourful roving performers.
There will be a family-friendly show at 9 p.m. with a five-minute fireworks show and then a longer program to officially ring in the new year at midnight.
Global BC will be livestreaming the midnight fireworks show on its website and on Facebook.
Free transit
All TransLink transit services are free after 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 until 5 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2019.
TransLink says that starting at 2 a.m., all NightBus routes will leave from the new NightBus District.
Buses will be running on a modified weekday schedule with extended service on some routes.
The SeaBus will be running a modified weekday service, and the last sailings will be approximately one hour later.
SkyTrain will run on a modified weekday service schedule. The last trains will be approximately one hour later to accommodate New Year’s Eve crowds.
Taxis
The taxi association says it will have every available taxi on the roads tonight to handle the crowds getting home from the festivities.