Billed as the world’s biggest offshore fireworks competition, the annual Vancouver fireworks display (this year called the Honda Celebration of Light) is always a busy and exciting time in downtown Vancouver. This year, three countries are competing on three separate days. Here’s the breakdown: Vietnam – July 28, Brazil – August 1, and Italy – August 4.

Beautiful explosions in the sky mean a large volume of people will be using transit. TransLink will be adding more SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express service and rerouting som e bus routes to accommodate this larger volume.

SkyTrain

• Expo, Millennium and Canada Lines will provide “rush-hour” service on all three nights beginning in mid-afternoon, with every available train in service after the show to clear people out of the area as quickly as possible.
• The last Expo/Millennium Line train will leave Waterfront Station for King George at 1:16 am.
• The last Canada Line train will leave Waterfront for Richmond-Brighouse at 1:15 am.
• Trains will continue to run until everyone has been picked up from the downtown platforms (customers must be inside the stations when the gates are closed).
• Click here for important info on pre-purchasing return tickets, no “seat-camping” , elevator and bicycles access and access to Granville, Yale-Town Roundhouse and Waterfront Stations.

Bus

• Coast Mountain Bus Company will have additional coaches available on all three nights, with transit supervisors monitoring the situation to deploy the buses as needed. Customers arriving by SkyTrain may transfer at Burrard Station to the #5 or #22; however, due to the traffic restrictions in the West End during that time, the #5 will only go as far as Robson and Denman, then turn back via Georgia to the regular route; the #22 will go as far as Burrard and Davie. The #6 will also turn around at Burrard and Davie.
• West Vancouver Transit will have additional coaches running from Horseshoe Bay and 25th/Marine; although the majority of special buses will go to and from Park Royal, where there is ample free parking. For return trips, buses will be staged at key locations along Georgia Street from approximately 10:45 pm.
• Blue Bus will also provide shuttle bus service to the smaller celebration area at Dundarave in West Vancouver.

SeaBus

SeaBus is pressing all three vessels into action on July 28. Ferries will run every 10 minutes from each side between 10 am and 8 pm on Saturday. Ferries will run every 15 minutes on Saturday from 8-9 am and from 8pm until midnight. Last sailings leave Waterfront at 1:22 am Monday to Saturday. On the last two days of Celebration of Light, SeaBus will extend its two-ferry (15-minute) service until midnight.

West Coast Express

Extra service will be provided on the final night of Celebration of Light – August 4 – only, leaving Mission City at 7 pm and returning from Waterfront at midnight.

For the complete list of service changes and info on navigating the nights, make sure to go to the fireworks page and check m.translink.ca for real-time info on service. Enjoy the lights and the fun, everyone!