Canada, Japan and Spain will compete in this summer’s Celebration of Light fireworks festival at Vancouver’s English Bay, marking its return after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The countries were announced Thursday, with Japan to perform July 23, Canada on July 27, and Spain on July 30.
Marking its 30th year, the event is the longest running off-shore fireworks festival in the world, hosting more than 1.25 million attendees annually.
Canada will be represented by Midnight Sun Fireworks, while Japan’s Akariya Fireworks returns following wins in 2014 and 2017. Spain is partnering with Pirotecnia Zaragozana.
The B.C. government is offering $5 million to support events in the hopes of helping the battered tourism industry rebound.
“The Tourism Events Program helps promote these events so they get the local, national and international attention needed to attract visitors to communities and be a magnet for tourism throughout the province,” said Melanie Mark, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, in a statement Wednesday.
Applications are open until May 31 for events taking place from this October to September 2023.