As a reminder if you have not already heard, Concord’s New Year’s Eve Vancouver fireworks is taking a one-year hiatus, which means there will be no major public celebration in Vancouver next week on December 31, 2019.

Event organizers announced in October they are refocusing all of their efforts and resources on moving the fireworks from Coal Harbour to East False Creek inner harbour — between Cambie Street and Science World — and Concord Pacific Place.

The NYE fireworks event will resume next year on December 31, 2020. East False Creek was selected as the new site of the event, as it will provide the fireworks with a new intimate and photogenic location, backdropped by the downtown skyline, featuring prominent landmarks such as BC Place Stadium and Science World.

“This elevated experience will truly be a new magical event for Vancouver and will allow Concord’s NYE the space to grow into one of the world’s top celebrations for the most important night of the year,” said Dani Pretto, chair of the not-for-profit Vancouver New Year’s Eve Celebration Society (VNYECS), in a previous statement.

“The new home at East False Creek provides us with the greater flexibility required to fully exercise our ambitions of staging an accessible, world-class event that sparks inspiration, a sense of place, and civic pride.”

There will be multiple barges to create a dazzling effect of a ballet of fireworks, along with the synchronization of the exterior lighting displays of buildings in the downtown skyline, such as the dome lights of Science World and other areas of Concord Pacific Place.

Other special effects, activations, and programming will add to the enthralling annual experience that is to come. Organizers will announce further event details next year.

But altogether, the new NYE fireworks at East False Creek promises to be a unique spectacle that sets the event apart from the Celebration of Light in English Bay and both the Canada Day fireworks and previous NYE fireworks in Coal Harbour.

It will be a hybrid of the fireworks at Disney World’s Epcot, London NYE on the Thames River, Singapore NYE at Marina Bay, and Sydney NYE.

Over the past years, the NYE fireworks in Coal Harbour saw attendance in excess of 100,000 people.

“We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding that this will be well worth the wait. Concord’s NYE has quickly grown into becoming not only one of Vancouver’s largest flagship events but also one of the largest New Year’s Eve celebrations in all of Canada,” continued Pretto.

“We are proud of what we have accomplished at our Coal Harbour location over the last four years, and we thank the community and all of our partners, especially Concord Pacific, for their elevated support for 2020.”

Tourism Vancouver believes the new location and programming will position this fireworks celebration as the newest flagship event of the City of Vancouver, establishing an anchor event for the new entertainment district in Northeast False Creek.

“The new home for Concord’s New Year’s Eve Celebration is a great fit for the city. The location, a part of the ‘entertainment district’ is much more accessible to the public to enjoy the spectacular fireworks display with the additional vantage points from around False Creek,” said Ted Lee, the acting president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver.

“We are excited for the years ahead and how the growth of this event contributes to Vancouver’s livability and appeal as a travel destination.”

The new event at False Creek is also supported by Charles Gauthier, president and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and a former VNYECS chair.

“I know firsthand how much work goes into planning the city’s largest New Year’s Eve party, and am thrilled that it is evolving and growing to become bigger and better than ever before,” said Gauthier.

“The new location will be a fantastic fit for this iconic event, and will allow for exciting new public space activations and an even more inclusive, accessible, and family-friendly celebration. We’ve seen time and time again the positive economic impact that large-scale events and festivals have on the city, which is why it’s so important to create an environment for free public events to grow and flourish in Vancouver.”