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If you’re from Vancouver, fireworks on Canada Day or any other occasion are a snooze fest. They’re never big or long enough, and there’s no way they’re going to measure up.

Unless we’re talking about the Celebration of Light, of course. For two decades, this fireworks competition, formerly known as the Symphony of Fire, has been spoiling Vancouverites with top-notch pyrotechnics at English Bay.

This year, the 21st annual Celebration of Light, billed as the “Battle of the Champions”, will take place over three nights, down from last year’s four nights. That means one less night of braving the nasty washrooms at English Bay Beach, taking an hour to walk down Robson Street to get to the SkyTrain, or watching your fellow citizens turn the Kitsilano Beach shoreline into one big urinal.

Here’s all the details to help make your fireworks experience a good one. Check back for updates.

When it’s going down

Saturday, July 30

Time: 10 to 10:25 p.m.

Country: China

Theme: “China Storm”

Wednesday, August 3

Time: 10 to 10:25 p.m.

Country: Spain

Theme: “Odyssey”

Saturday, August 6

Time: 10 to 10:25 p.m.

Country: Canada

Theme: “Then and Now”

Where to watch

English Bay Beach and Kitsilano Beach are where the masses flock. These spots afford the best views, so they’ll be packed like West Georgia Street during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Kitsilano Point, Vanier Park, Sunset Beach, and parts of Stanley Park are also ideal viewing locations. As are any condos with a view of English Bay, for those of you with friends who’ve invested in Vancouver’s vertical suburbs (housing bubble, anyone?).

My favourite spots to watch the fireworks are on the grass (no blowing sand) by the Vancouver Maritime Museum in Hadden Park and on the Burrard Bridge, if I’m taking photos. Years ago, I preferred to take in the show at the high-tide mark of English Bay Beach, right in front of the big slide in the water. (If you don’t pay attention to the direction of the tide, you’re liable to get wet.)

How to hear the soundtrack

In the popular viewing locations, come fireworks time, someone nearby will likely be playing the music that goes with the pyrotechnics. If none of your neighbours brought a ghetto blaster, however, Shore 104.3 FM will be broadcasting the soundtrack. For those of you too young to remember FM radio, the broadcast will be streamed on the station’s website. Hopefully, this won’t include several minutes of Prince and the Revolution’s “Purple Rain” yet again.

What to bring

It gets pretty cold when the sun goes down, so beach towels and blankets are always a good idea. A supply of drinks and snacks too. You’ll also want to bring along friends you actually like talking to, since most of the evening will involve sitting around waiting for the show to begin.

Marijuana and alcohol don’t go over well with the cops, but you won’t see a shortage of these on the beaches. Please take your trash with you when you leave. We don’t need English Bay and Kitsilano beaches to look like landfills the morning after.

How to get there

First of all, if you’re a polluter, leave the car at home or at the park and ride. The best ways to get down to the fireworks are walking, cycling, and public transit. You'll want to come down early to get a good spot, and then either be among the first to take off or take your time getting home.

Bike valet parking will be available near English Bay Beach, Kitsilano Beach, and the north end of the Burrard Bridge.

Wheelchair-accessible vehicle parking will be available prior to 6 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis at Bidwell Street and Burnaby Street, Beach Avenue (across from lawn bowling), the park board administration office, and the parking lot at Arbutus Street and McNicoll Avenue.

What transit service will be available

TransLink will offer additional service to deal with the crowds. But you know it'll be a gong show anyways. Here's what's going to be different on fireworks nights:

”¢ Buses that normally head into the West End won't go past Burrard Street and Davie Street as of 7:30 p.m. The #5 Robson will travel as far as Robson Street and Denman Street and then come back via Denman and West Georgia Street. Eastbound service will use Georgia, rather than Robson.

”¢ Starting at 9 p.m., the #22 Macdonald/Knight will stop running on Burrard Bridge and Cornwall Avenue. It will travel on West 4th Avenue between Granville Bridge and Macdonald Street in both directions.

”¢ The SkyTrain Expo and Millennium lines will run at rush-hour service levels from late afternoon until crowds are cleared after the fireworks. The last Expo Line train is scheduled to leave Waterfront Station at 1:16 a.m. But trains will continue running so customers already in the station at that time can get home.

”¢ The SkyTrain Canada Line will offer rush-hour service until 10 p.m., then increase service until 1 a.m. Additional trains will be on standby.

”¢ At Granville Station, the Seymour and Granville street entrances will be closed at 9 p.m. Access will be only via the Dunsmuir Street entrance.

”¢ At Waterfront Station, the Cordova Street entrance will be shut, except for customers using mobility devices, families with strollers, and SeaBus customers (and West Coast Express on the final night). Expo and Millennium line riders will enter via the Howe Street entrance (by Canada Place). Canada Line riders will enter via the Granville Plaza entrance on the west side of the station.

”¢ Inbound Expo and Millennium line trains will not pick up passengers at Granville or Burrard stations, and all incoming passengers will have to leave the train at Waterfront Station, except for persons with disabilities and families with strollers. Inbound Canada Line trains will not pick up passengers between Yaletown-Roundhouse and Waterfront stations, and arriving passengers will be told to get off at Waterfront. These measures are meant to prevent “seat-camping”.

”¢ Bikes will not be allowed on the SkyTrain leaving downtown Vancouver from 10 p.m. until lineups have cleared, which could be as late as 1 a.m. Transit staff and police may restrict bikes at other times in any direction, if crowds are heavy.

”¢ In Richmond, additional buses will be at the Bridgeport SkyTrain station to deal with crowds coming off the Canada Line.

”¢ West Vancouver Transit will have about 15 extra buses along West Georgia Street near Denman Street, ready to be used as needed.

”¢ The SeaBus will have two boats running, providing 15-minute service until midnight, and then half-hourly departures until 1:22 a.m. from Waterfront Station. The 15-minute service may be extended later, if needed.

”¢ The West Coast Express will run a special train for the finale on August 6, leaving Mission City at 7 p.m. and arriving at Waterfront Station at 8:15 p.m. The return trip will depart from Waterfront at midnight.

What streets will be closed

The West End and Kits Point will be closed to vehicles, except those of drivers who can prove they reside there through car registration or a permit parking decal. In the West End, the closures—affecting the area bounded by Denman Street, Alberni Street, Burrard Street, and Beach Avenue—will begin at 7:30 p.m. on fireworks nights. The Kits Point closures—north of Cornwall Avenue—will start at 6 p.m.

The closures will end at 11:30 p.m. Of course, this won't stop silly drivers from trying to maneuver their cars through the crowds right after the fireworks end.

You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.