Over 500,000+ people are expected to head to downtown Vancouver this weekend for the annual Celebration of Light fireworks.
The 2023 fireworks festival kicks off on Saturday, July 22nd with a team from Australia opening up this year’s competition. The other two participating countries are Mexico (Wednesday, July 26), and the Philippines (Saturday, July 29). To help people get to the downtown core and get home, TransLink is boosting transit service during the three Celebration of Light fireworks evenings.
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Extra bus service will be in place throughout Metro Vancouver, including downtown Vancouver starting at 5pm. Additionally, SkyTrain will operate every 2-3 minutes before and after the fireworks. Bikes will not be permitted on SkyTrain after 10:30pm.
SeaBus sailings will extend to 15-minute service from 9:15pm to 11:15pm. 30-minute sailings will resume after 11:15pm until 1:22am.
To accommodate the large crowds and road closures, the following bus services/changes will be in place for each night:
- Special pre-event shuttle service will run from both Burrard Station and Waterfront Station to the intersection of Cardero Street and Robson Street
- Special post-event shuttle service will run from the intersection of Bidwell Street and West Georgia Street
- Post-event service will drop customers off at the intersection of Burrard Street and West Georgia Street, then continue to Waterfront Station
- Post-event service to West and North Vancouver will run from the intersection of West Georgia Street and Denman Street
- Due to street closures, routes 2,5,6, and 23 will be rerouted
On July 29th, the West Coast Express will operate a special train service. One train will leave Mission City Station at 7pm and arrive at Waterfront Station at 8:15pm The return train will begin boarding at Waterfront Station at 11pm and depart at midnight.