Vancouver's annual summer fireworks festival is set to ignite city skies after sponsors stepped up with the cash needed to put on the pyrotechnic extravaganza.
A $350,000 gap in funding put the future of The Celebration of Light in jeopardy, but organizers say the show will go on.
"Everybody decided to come back to the plate this year," said Catherine Runnals, partner of brand.LIVE Management Group, which has partnered with the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society to put on the event for the next three years.
"In this economy these companies have to be very careful with how they spend their money," she said.
The festival will take place on July 21, July 24, July 28 and July 31. The show pits the pyrotechnic performances of four countries against each other in a dazzling display of colour and music on English Bay. This summer marks the 20{+t}{+h} anniversary of the free, family-oriented summer event, which is expected to bring $1.4-million people into the downtown core during the four nights.
"The fireworks have become one of Vancouver's most beloved summer events, and something that families really look forward to," said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. "I'd like to thank the community for its unwavering support and the sponsors for their continued commitment."
The event's annual budget is $4-million, said Brent MacGregor, chair of the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society. Approximately $1.4-million comes from fundraising and the rest from kind donations.
While the fate of the festival may be financially-secure, organizers will continue searching out sponsors.
"We'd like to get another $150,000," said Mr. MacGregor. "We want to make sure we can build some funds so that we can guarantee the festival goes on in the future."
Extra funds would also help offset the budget cuts the festival society had to make this year.
The identities of the participating countries are still a carefully guarded secret, but the presenting sponsor of the festival will be Shore 104.3 FM. The radio station hosted several live performances on English Bay last year and broadcasted the soundtrack of the performances.
Festival-goers should expect to see more artists on the line-up this year, said Ms. Runnals.
Ms. Runnals also said she hopes the festival will grow in the next three years.
"Vancouver has grown up significantly, especially after hosting [the Olympics]" Ms. Runnals said. "I think Vancouverites are ready to celebrate and would be open to some changes and enhancement."
Bard on the Beach will release a new batch of tickets on Sunday for the dates of the fireworks festival.
The Shakespeare festival holds a fundraiser called Bard-B-Q and Fireworks to coincide with the Celebration of Light. The event was in limbo until this week's announcement. If cancelled it would have cost $15,000 in lost revenue for the theatre festival.