English Bay fireworks return for one night on July 31

Vancouver will hold a single free fireworks show at English Bay on Friday, July 31. Summer Lights in English Bay is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. and run for 25 minutes, rain or shine, with fireworks launched from a barge in the bay.

The City of Vancouver is organizing and funding the event as a one-year replacement for the three-night Honda Celebration of Light competition, which was cancelled for 2026 after organizers could not secure sufficient government and private-sector funding. The city intends the event to maintain momentum while efforts continue to restore the full competition in 2027.

BrandLive is producing the event, and Winnipeg-based Archangel Fireworks is designing and staging the display. Food trucks along Beach Avenue are to open at 3 p.m. A small live-music program is planned on the English Bay Bathhouse rooftop, beginning with DJ Remsta at 6:30 p.m., followed by Carlotta Gurl, Eva Lasting and Celestial Seasonings from 7:30 p.m.

Viewers are expected at English Bay Beach, Sunset Beach Park, the Stanley Park seawall, Vanier Park and Kitsilano Beach. Roads in the West End, generally west of Burrard Street and south of West Georgia Street, are scheduled to close from 5 p.m. until about 11:30 p.m. Parking will be limited and traffic delays are expected.

TransLink plans extra service, including shuttle buses before and after the event and SkyTrain service every two to three minutes around the show. Access at Burrard, Granville and Waterfront stations will be modified, bicycles will not be allowed on SkyTrain after 10:30 p.m., and routes 5, 6 and 23 will be rerouted. SeaBus will run every 10 minutes from 6:30 to 11 p.m., then every 15 minutes until the last Waterfront sailing at 1:22 a.m.