3 posts tagged “english bay”

Last weekend saw the conclusion of Vancouver’s annual Celebration of Light.  This international fireworks competition is held over four nights (two Wednesdays and two Saturdays) every summer, with three countries competing for the top prize (and one night for the grand finale).  The fireworks are shot off a barge anchored in English Bay – an easy, five-minute walk from our apartment! – and attended by close to 500,000 people.  Each show lasts for 25 minutes and is set meticulously to music, thus making the biggest explosions all the more dramatic.

The 2008 teams represented Canada, the U.S. and China.  Canada ended up taking home the first-place prize (and we agreed their show was the most artistic), but China won the people’s choice award (probably due to the non-stop barrage of enormous, ear-shattering explosions that ran throughout their show).  We loved every minute of this experience and are already looking forward to joining the (insane) crowds again next year.