The annual Honda Celebration of Light is set to take over parts of Vancouver’s West End once again starting Saturday.
The three-night fireworks competition is one of the most popular events in Vancouver, attracting hundreds of thousands of people downtown each summer.
This year, it will take place over the evenings of Saturday, July 19, Wednesday, July 23, and Saturday, July 26. Road closures and traffic restrictions will be in place starting at 5 p.m. each night.
Vehicle access will be limited to residents in a section of the city spanning from Thurlow Street to Gilford Street and Beach Avenue to Alberni Street from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.
Davie Street, Denman Street, and Beach Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic from 6 p.m. and reopened at police discretion around 11 p.m.
The west side of Stanley Park will be closed to vehicles from 6 p.m. until midnight.
TransLink has also announced the following changes to bus, SkyTrain, and SeaBus routes:
Additionally, TransLink has announced post-event shuttles from the intersection of Bidwell Street and West Georgia Street, dropping riders off at the intersection of Burrard Street and West Georgia Street (near Burrard Station), and Waterfront Station.
Another post-event shuttle will run from the intersection of West Georgia Street and Denman Street, taking riders to West Vancouver and North Vancouver stops.
Related:
This year’s event will see a renewed focus on safety due to the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy on April 26, which left 11 people dead and dozens injured from a vehicle-ramming attack.
At a media event Tuesday, the Vancouver Police Department announced it would be deploying a visible increase in officers in the area for the three nights of the celebration.
Sgt. Steve Addison said the department is urging visitors to leave their vehicles at home.
“If you’re coming down to spend the day, if you’re coming down to enjoy the fireworks, if you’re coming down to meet up with people, please leave your car somewhere else. Consider walking, consider taking transit. Find a way to get in there without your vehicle.”
He said concrete barriers will be placed at all access points to Denman Street from Robson to Davie streets.
Listen live to 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver every 10 minutes on the ones for traffic updates. You can also follow us on X @NewsRadioVAN and subscribe to Traffic Alerts as they happen, sent directly to your inbox.
