A suspicious fire hasn’t gotten in the way of the old adage “the show must go on” at a historic Vancouver venue.
It’s been nearly two months since flames tore through the Kitsilano Showboat, an amphitheater next to Kits Beach that’s been holding free community performances for nearly 90 years.
The fire heavily damaged the facility, sparking fears that it would not be able to return to service for the summer season.
But organizers have been able to put together an 11-show program with the first event, a performance by the Kitsilano High School Band, scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday.
Fire crews were called to the Showboat stage just after midnight on April 22, and while they were able to extinguish the flames the facility suffered major damage to the dressing room, backstage area and façade.
Fire investigators later determined the blaze to be suspicious, according to Vancouver police.
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A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $31,000 towards repairs.
The Kitsilano Showboat, which runs every summer from June to August providing free multicultural entertainment, hasn’t missed a season since 1935.
You can find its 2023 summer schedule on its Facebook page.
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