The annual event will take a one-year break in preparation for the exciting changes to the nighttime spectacular

VANCOUVER, October 31, 2019— The Vancouver New Year’s Eve Celebration Society (VNYECS) is pleased to announce today its plans to take the annual Concord’s New Year’s Eve Vancouver fireworks countdown celebration to all new sky-high heights at a new location in downtown Vancouver.

Debuting on December 31, 2020, the countdown celebration will be relocated to Concord Pacific Place and East False Creek – the inner harbour area between the Cambie Street Bridge and Science World at TELUS World of Science.

“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 VNYECS.

“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.”

At its new location, the countdown celebration will evolve into a dazzling ballet of fireworks using multiple fireworks barges, setting it apart from Concord’s NYE’s previous fireworks at Coal Harbour and other fireworks events in the city. This new intimate location also provides Concord’s NYE with an eye-grabbing backdrop of the downtown skyline, featuring prominent landmarks such as BC Place Stadium and Science World.

Moreover, the exterior lighting displays of buildings that include Science World and areas of Concord Pacific Place will be fully synchronized with the fireworks, marking the first time ever lighting displays on the ground and in the air will be used for a fully-integrated outdoor nighttime spectacular. Other special effects and activations will add to the enthralling annual experience that is to come.

Further details on the new home of NYE in Vancouver and event programming will be announced in 2020. VNYECS will be working closely with the City of Vancouver to develop detailed logistical plans and acquire necessary permitting.

“We are proud to have supported this event for four years and now to be hosting this family-friendly event at Concord Pacific Place,” said Matt Meehan, Senior Vice-President of Planning for Concord Pacific.

“There is a long history of hosting events like Expo ‘86, the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, and the 2010 Olympic Games on this site. Family events like this will continue on our community pop-up park and long into the future on our fifth and final downtown park in Concord Pacific Place.”

To allow for the vision of this reimagined event to be realized, VNYECS’ major community celebration will be taking a one-year hiatus. No fireworks celebration is planned for Coal Harbour this year on December 31, 2019.

“Our volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization is directing its attention and efforts towards providing Concord’s NYE with a new exciting home at East False Creek that allows for a dynamic nighttime spectacular. An immense level of support from the public, the business community and all stakeholders is required to stage major citywide events on the scale of Concord’s NYE,” continued Pretto.

“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. 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.”

Vancouver City Councillor Lisa Dominato says: “This move offers a terrific opportunity to expand and enhance the city’s iconic Concord’s NYE celebration. The annual NYE countdown is a fun, family-friendly event that makes a positive contribution to our nightlife and nighttime economy.”

Charles Gauthier, President & CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) and former VNYECS chair, says: “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. 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.”

Ted Lee, CFO & Director of Destination Development for Tourism Vancouver, says: “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. 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.”

Janet Wood, President & CEO of TELUS World of Science, says: "We're looking forward to collaborating with the team at Vancouver New Year’s Eve Celebration Society to realize this vision for a spectacular New Years' Eve 2020 in Vancouver. This is the first time the dome lights on TELUS World of Science will be synchronized with other skyline lights and the accompanying fireworks. It's going to be a remarkable sight that is sure to delight the city of Vancouver!"

To keep Vancouver’s New Year’s Eve spirit alive ahead of the inaugural year of the new major celebration, pop-up community celebrations to ring in 2020 are planned for yet-to-be-announced locations. VNYECS will announce further details on the mini-celebrations closer to December 31, 2019.

For continued updates, visit www.ConcordsNYEVAN.com.

About Vancouver New Year's Eve Celebration Society (VNYECS)
VNYECS was established in 2013 and is a registered not-for-profit community initiative with a mandate to plan, organize, and stage an annual, accessible public New Year’s Eve celebration in Vancouver. Members include the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, Daily Hive, Boughton Law, Vanterre Projects Corporation, TELUS, BDO, and Eos Lightmedia.

About PRP
PRP is an award-winning event company that specializes in creating live content, technical production, and branded spaces. PRP designs live experiences that inspire, engage, and leave lasting memories. Through three divisions (PRP Sport, PRP Experiential, and PRP Events), PRP has produced high-profile events such as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2017 Invictus Games Toronto, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, as well as multiple Canada Sevens tournaments, Canada Games, Grey Cup halftime shows, and the PNE Fair. The team at PRP believe that when you love what you do, it shows.

For media contact:
Heather McKenzie-Beck
Communications and Events Manager, Downtown Vancouver Business
Improvement Association
heather@dtvan.ca
604-616-0933

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