Where is the best place to watch Vancouver’s Honda Celebration of Light fireworks? Looking for the ultimate viewing location? Then check out our list!
Note: The Vancouver summer tradition was cancelled in 2026. In its place, a new, one-day fireworks event has been organized for Friday, July 31st. It’s called Summer Lights in English Bay and is free to attend.
Free places to watch the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks (or the Summer of Lights in English Bay fireworks) include the following locations:
English Bay Beach | Sunset Beach | Vanier Park | Kitsilano Beach | Jericho Beach | Locarno Beach | Second Beach | Granville Island | Burrard Street Bridge | Granville Street Bridge | Boats in the Water
Continue reading for details about all of the above venue options, or click any of the above links to jump to a specific location.
Also, at the end of this article is a list of Fireworks Tips & Suggestions as well as a Fireworks Video showcasing some of Vancouver’s best free venues to watch the show from.
English Bay Fireworks Viewing Locations
The Honda Celebration of Light fireworks used to take place in late July. The pyrotechnics blasted off from a barge just off English Bay Beach. The venue was the most popular and crowded place to watch from. The shows were massive, though, and could be seen from all over the English Bay region.
Other premium venues to watch the fireworks from included Bard on the Beach (with its Bard Fireworks Nights), the Vancouver Maritime Museum (with its fundraiser event) and from the water with Vancouver Boat Parties. Attendees at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival could also watch the fireworks from Jericho Beach on July 19th this past year. At Theatre Under the Stars, the musicals started and ended an hour early on fireworks nights, which gave people time to walk to Second Beach or elsewhere along the waterfront to see the shows.
In 2026 there’s just one night of fireworks at English Bay. The City of Vancouver, along with the Vancouver Park Board and local production company BrandLive, are hosting the Summer Lights in English Bay event on July 31st.
The free event takes place in the same place that the Honda Celebration of Light did, and is free to enjoy. As of late June it’s unclear exactly how many fireworks will be set off (and therefore from how far away you’ll be able to enjoy the show). A lot of the venues listed below are likely to still be good spots to enjoy the show, however.
Continue reading to learn more about the best fireworks-viewing areas in late July. Our list in this article includes primarily free venues.
TIP: In addition to English Bay, there are also fireworks at Vancouver Canadians baseball games at Nat Bailey Stadium on a few Saturdays in July.
Fireworks from English Bay Beach
English Bay Beach is arguably the most spectacular place to watch the fireworks from, other than from a boat out on the water, but it’s also the most crowded. Well over 100,000 people covered every inch of sand on the beach, as well as all the surrounding grassy areas, during the Honda Celebration of Light.
If you want to see the fireworks up close and love crowds, then English Bay Beach is one of, if not the best place to be.
Arguably the best places to watch the Celebration of Light from were the Ticketed Venues at English Bay. In 2025 they included the Concord Pacific Grandstand and Inukshuk Point. Both of these venues were licensed. They were fabulous venues, but not inexpensive. We’ve viewed the fireworks from them before and really enjoyed the experience.
On one of the nights in 2024, we watched from a dinner cruise event with Vancouver Boat Parties. The same company also hosted cruises on all three nights of the fireworks. It’s unclear whether there will be the same ticketed venues and cruises on the new 2026 fireworks night.
Location of English Bay Beach: 1790 Beach Avenue (in Vancouver’s West End halfway between the southern tip of Stanley Park and Sunset Beach).
Main Advantages of English Bay Beach
- Unless you’re on a boat out on the water (which is probably the absolute best place to watch from), English Bay Beach is the closest you can get to the fireworks.
- The surrounding view is amazing, especially if there was a sunset.
- You’re close to downtown so within walking distance of public transportation. There are shops and restaurants in the area as well as food trucks lining the beach on event nights.
- Live music took place at English Bay at Morton Park most years (2026 status is unclear).
- English Bay was where you could find the premium seating at the Concord Pacific Grandstand and Inukshuk Point during the Honda Celebration of Light.
Main Disadvantages of English Bay Beach
- Unless the weather is really poor, there likely are going to be massive crowds of people with you on the beach. That means it can be extra fun and exciting if you didn’t mind crowds, but also more competition for public transit on your way home. (TIP: You could also spoil yourself by staying at a hotel overnight. It probably will cost a premium, but heading straight to a nearby hotel would be way better than fighting traffic and crowds on the roads and public transit on your way home. Check out StayVancouverHotels.com for deals and bonus perks.)
Tips & Advice for English Bay Beach
- Should you head to the beach for fireworks, arrive early to find a good spot and put down a blanket to stake your claim.
- Don’t forget about the tide if you plan to settle down anywhere near the water’s edge. Be far from the shoreline if it’s rising (or else you’ll have to move, and by the time you do so it might be hard to find a new place).
- Book a spot at one of the premium ticketed venues (if they exist in 2026). They are expensive, but worth it. You’ll have the best views without the crowds. Or better yet, book a cruise and watch from the water if those happen again.
Fireworks Viewing from Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is just around the corner from English Bay Beach and the views from along the seawall between the two beaches are great for fireworks viewing.
If you plan to watch from English Bay Beach but then get overwhelmed by the crowds or felt claustrophobic, you can head south along the waterfront. There are still big crowds at Sunset Beach, but they get thinner as you make your way towards the Burrard Street Bridge.
Location: 1204 Beach Avenue (in Vancouver’s West End near the entrance to False Creek).
Main Advantages of Sunset Beach
- The fireworks from Sunset Beach are obviously further away than from English Bay Beach, but still close enough to be spectacular.
- Because of the smaller crowds and distance from the main event, there is less post-fireworks competition for public transportation and parking lots within not too unreasonable walking distance.
Tips & Advice for Sunset Beach
- For future fireworks events, take a blanket to sit on at the beach or a lawn chair if you don’t mind lugging it around.
- If planning to sit on the ground or on a chair, choose your spot carefully. If sitting on or near the seawall especially, be warned that people often stand to watch the show. It gets crowded, so just because you arrive early with your chairs, if there’s open space in front of you, there’s a chance that tall people will fill the gap (in their defence, there isn’t always much choice as to where to go).
Pyrotechnic Views from Vanier Park
Vanier Park was another popular venue to watch the Celebration of Light fireworks from, and could be popular for the Summer of Lights in English Bay. Tens of thousands of people filled the lawns and pathways along the waterfront for the Celebration of Light, and sometimes there was even live entertainment.
Vanier Park is just a short distance across the water from Sunset Beach at the mouth of False Creek. Consequently, the views are pretty much equally spectacular.
Evening at the Museum is an event that used to happen annually around the same time as the Honda Celebration of Light festival. The event is a fundraising gala at the Maritime Museum with proceeds supporting the attraction. The gala typically begins at 7:00 pm and includes dinner, music and wonderful views of the fireworks display later at night.
Another event in the area is the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. It runs pretty much every day from early June until near the end of September. On days with Honda Celebration of Light events, Bard on the Beach hosted special events with Shakespearean theatre, a dessert buffet, and private views of the fireworks. Picnic bundles are also available. See our article about Bard Fireworks Nights for details about that.
Location: 1000 Chestnut Street (at the entrance to False Creek and across the water from Sunset Beach via the Burrard Street Bridge).
Main Advantages of Vanier Park
- The waterfront area around Vanier Park is one of the closest places to watch the fireworks from, next to English Bay Beach and the western section of Sunset Beach.
- Vanier Park is more accessible than most other venues for transportation, despite not being close to a SkyTrain station. First, it’s connected by the False Creek Seawall so it’s easy to get to and from by bicycle from various locations. Second, there is paid parking in the area (and maybe even an empty space or two if you arrive early and make a day out of your trip). Third, it’s at the edge of Kitsilano, so faster to get out of than venues like Kitsilano Beach, Jericho and Locarno after the show if you head east or north to get home.
- The fireworks aren’t as close as if you were at English Bay Beach, but the views are still spectacular (or at least they were during the Celebration of Light). The pyrotechnics are not that far away, plus you get the Vancouver skyline to enjoy too.
Tips & Advice for Vanier Park
- If you like Shakespearean theatre, then consider attending the Bard Fireworks Nights at Bard on the Beach (if they happen in 2026).
- In the area are the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Vancouver Maritime Museum and Museum of Vancouver, all of which can be interesting places to visit if arriving early. (TIP: If you use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing tickets to the Maritime Museum online, you can save 25%!)
- If you have a bicycle and bike rack (or don’t mind a long walk), you could park towards Granville Island or on a road further east or south and then cycled or walked back to your car once the fireworks were done. Wherever you parked, though, you want to make sure of the direction you want your car to be facing and take into consideration accessibility to intersections with traffic lights. Post-fireworks congestion could be insane, so a bit of parking forethought can be valuable (assuming you have any choice).
Fireworks Displays from Kitsilano
The Celebration of Light fireworks from Kitsilano Beach were similarly amazing. Tens of thousands of people turned up there for the event. It’s a big place, so it can accommodate the crowds. The beach and shoreline stretch from close to Vanier Park all the way past Kitsilano’s giant outdoor swimming pool. Unlike some venues, the fireworks were visible from all over. The park is also where you’ll find Kitsilano Showboat and its free entertainment on weekend evenings in the summer.
Location: 1499 Arbutus Street (in Kitsilano just west of Vanier Park).
Main Advantages of Kitsilano Beach
- Kitsilano is a spectacular beach. Things to do include going for a swim in either the ocean or outdoor pool, playing or watching beach volleyball, taking kids you’re with to the playground, or just hanging out at the beach.
- When the fireworks play, there are normally Kitsilano Showboat concerts to check out as well. They are free to attend and they also used to feature a simulcast of the fireworks music.
Main Disadvantages of Kitsilano Beach
- Parking can be a challenge. Fireworks attendees are encouraged to take public transit if they could and to prepare for long lineups for the bus afterwards.
- Post-fireworks traffic can be a nightmare, but at least not as bad as some other venues depending on where you had to get to. (Jericho and Locarno beaches could be even worse if heading east after the show.)
Tips & Advice for Kitsilano Beach
- Watch out for the tide! Don’t settle down anywhere near the shoreline on any of the evenings if the tide will be rising. If you do, you’ll need to get up and find somewhere else (likely after all the other best spots get filled up).
- Take a picnic or make dinner reservations. On fireworks nights, it was best to arrive early to get a good spot and improve your chances of finding parking that was not overly-ridiculously far away. Planning for food, though, is essential. A picnic could be a great idea (although you’d need to carry it in with you). There are also a number of great restaurants in the area, or further up the way on West Broadway. Other people will be looking for food, however, so if there’s a special place you want to eat, it’s best you make advanced reservations on a fireworks night.
- Take your swimsuit, sunscreen, hat, blanket and beach toys. Kitsilano is an amazing beach. Enjoy all it has to offer.
Fireworks Viewing from Jericho Beach
Jericho is another exceptional beach. There are grassy lawns, a huge sandy beach and a few trails to explore.
The main eastern section of the beach is beautiful, but views of the Celebration of Light were blocked by the marina at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. The views were okay, though, from the far western end of Jericho Beach.
Location: 3941 Point Grey Road (about halfway between Kitsilano Beach and the University of British Columbia).
Main Advantages of Jericho Beach
- Jericho Beach is a beautiful place to spend time on any sunny summer day (or evening).
- The venue is less crowded than other major venues including Kitsilano, Vanier Park, Sunset Beach and English Bay Beach, unless it’s a day when the Vancouver Folk Music Festival is happening at Jericho Beach Park (not the case in 2026).
- The fireworks are quite a way in the distance, but that’s made up for by the spectacular night view of the city lights.
Main Disadvantages of Jericho Beach
- Unless you live in the area or somewhere around Point Grey, Jericho Beach is a bit out of the way. That’s not normally a problem, but it can be when you have to drive along 4th Avenue or West Broadway to get home when lots of people from other venues are on the road as well.
- The fireworks are pretty far away in the distance.
- Visibility is poor at the main beach area, but gets better the further west you go.
Tips & Advice for Jericho Beach
- On fireworks nights, it’s great to spend the day at the main part of Jericho Beach, but it’s best to head far over to the west end so that the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club’s marina doesn’t block your view of the pyrotechnics displays. Or better yet, you could head a tiny bit further west, to Locarno Beach on the other side of the Jericho Sailing Centre.
- If you live in the Point Grey area, or around UBC, then Jericho Beach is a fabulous venue. If you have to drive east along Marine Drive, 4th Avenue or West Broadway to get home afterwards, though, you’d need to rethink your route. When we were there a few years ago, post-fireworks traffic was so bad we pulled over and sat in our car for an hour until the roads cleared.
- Attend the Vancouver Folk Music Festival if it’s happening at the same time! When it overlapped with the Celebration of Light, the music festival paused everything during the fireworks so attendees could watch. The festival then continued for a while, which, on fireworks nights, allowed a bit of time for traffic to improve before the festival-goers needed to head home. The music festival is terrific and highly recommended.
Pyrotechnic Views from Locarno Beach
Locarno Beach is just past the eastern end of Jericho Beach, so the views are pretty similar to those at Jericho (although without the yacht club in the way). Locarno too is a stunning beach with miles of sand, especially at low tide.
Location: 4445 NW Marine Drive (just west of Jericho Beach and the Jericho Sailing Centre).
Advantages & Disadvantages of Locarno Beach
The main advantages and disadvantages for Locarno Beach are the same as they are for Jericho Beach (as listed above). The venue is stunning and the city is pretty, but the fireworks are in the distance. Traffic can also be a nightmare if you have to pass through the Kitsilano area to get home.
Tips & Advice for Locarno Beach
- Head south before east when driving home. If you have to go east through Kitsilano to get home after the show, then you have to drive a bit of way south first, well past 4th Avenue, before turning east. Many people would be watching the pyrotechnics from Jericho Beach, Kitsilano Beach and Vanier Park. Consequently, post-fireworks traffic along West 4th Avenue and West Broadway can be terrible on a busy night.
- Watch the tide schedule. If high tide is predicted prior to the fireworks, wet seating would free up as the evening progressed. If that’s the case, bringing a low chair or waterproof blanket is a good idea. On the other hand, if high tide happens after you arrived, it’s best not to settle in too close to the waterline as it will keep moving up the beach.
Fireworks Displays from Second Beach
A few years ago Second Beach in Stanley Park was the main venue for the daytime festivities during the Honda Celebration of Light on all three days of the festival. Beginning in 2022, though, the main daytime activities happened at Morton Park at the north end of English Bay Beach (or at least that was the case the past couple of years).
Views of the Celebration of Light from Second Beach were pretty good. They were about as close as they were from Kitsilano Beach to the south, or possibly even closer. Views from English Bay were definitely better, but the view from Second Beach wasn’t bad, and it was far less crowded.
The fireworks barge was so far out in the water from English Bay Beach that it was actually not so far from Second Beach. It was easy to see from a long stretch of the seawall. The barge faced English Bay Beach, though, so it was sort of perpendicular to Second Beach. Consequently, when the fireworks made a smiley face, heart or other shape, sometimes all you saw from Second Beach was a line. The view, though, was still overall quite impressive.
Location: 8501 Stanley Park Drive (on the southwestern shore of Stanley Park between Third Beach and English Bay).
Main Advantages of Second Beach
- Second Beach has a nice beach, an outdoor swimming pool, a couple of children’s playgrounds, and a large open field to play on. It’s also nowhere near as crowded on fireworks nights as English Bay and many of the other venues along Vancouver’s English Bay-facing waterfront.
- If you can find parking at or near Second Beach, leave right away and live on the North Shore, you are likely to find the traffic on your way home better than if you watched from somewhere closer to English Bay.
Main Disadvantages of Second Beach
- There isn’t a ton of space at Second Beach to actually see the fireworks when they play. The grounds at Second Beach are huge, but the main fireworks-viewing area is the strip of waterfront along the seawall, the beach and outside the outer edges of the pool. Not much of anything is visible from the large grassy field.
- Parking in the area might be near impossible on fireworks night unless you show up very early.
Tips & Advice for Second Beach
- On fireworks nights, it’s best to park elsewhere in Stanley Park, like somewhere along Pipeline Road in the middle of the park. From there, you can walk or cycle to Second Beach. It’s a bit of a trek, but it’s a beautiful route and exiting the park by car afterwards is probably easier. Arguably even better, and closer, there is usually lots of parking at Third Beach. There’s a tiny bit of parking in front of the Teahouse Restaurant. There’s much more, however, in the larger parking lot just to the north of the restaurant.
- It’s best to arrive early if you hoped to find parking anywhere even remotely nearby.
- If you walk about five or 10 minutes along the Seawall (in the direction away from English Bay Beach), there are more good places to watch the fireworks from. These include spots where you can see more of the downtown city lights than you can from Second Beach. It’s a nice area to watch from, and not so far from Third Beach (which, again, is a good place to park your car).
Honda Celebration of Light from Granville Island
Granville Island is a wonderful place in the summer, and it wasn’t a bad place to watch the Celebration of Light from either.
Granville Island isn’t really known as a fireworks venue, which meant it didn’t usually get crowded. Granted, the view was obstructed somewhat by the Burrard Street Bridge, but the venue did have a number of advantages.
Location: 1669 Johnston Street (on the south side of False Creek under the Granville Street Bridge).
Main Advantages of Granville Island
- The Burrard Street Bridge may have obstructed the view of the Celebration of Lights fireworks a bit, but it also makes for a fabulous scene in itself. The night time view of Vancouver from the waterfront at Granville Island is stunning any evening, but especially when there are fireworks not too far away.
- Granville Island is full of restaurants, theatres and other things to do, plus it’s connected to other places in the region by the False Creek Seawall.
Main Disadvantages of Granville Island
- The views of the city and Burrard Street Bridge are incredible, but the fireworks got obstructed somewhat by the bridge. They were largely visible, though, and still very pretty.
- There aren’t many people around at the waterfront on Granville Island at 10:30 pm. There are some, but not so many (at least not when we’ve been). This can make it very pleasant, but not necessarily so if you’re on your own and need to walk back to your car. Fortunately, though, it’s generally a fairly safe part of town.
Tips & Advice for Granville Island
- The best place to have watched the Celebration of Light from was at the waterfront outside the Public Market, so from the northernmost tip of Granville Island. You could watch from just outside the market, or from down below on the docks. If on the docks, however, it’s dark so you had to be careful and not fall in!
- Spending the day at Granville Island is a wonderful thing to do. Go for a bike ride during the day or early evening, explore the False Creek Seawall, take in some theatre or enjoy a nice dinner while you’re there.
- Attend the early show at The Improv Centre on Granville Island. The live comedy theatre there is excellent. If you saw an early show, you would be out in time to watch the fireworks (and maybe had time in between to grab a drink somewhere too).
Fireworks from the Burrard Street Bridge
The west side of the Burrard Street Bridge was an amazing place to watch the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks from. It was close to the heart of the action, although it was also a bit out of the way as you needed to walk to get there.
The bridge isn’t the most popular venue to enjoy fireworks from as it’s an active bridge with car traffic. Spectators have to line the sidewalk on the western side for the view. The night time scenery from the Burrard Street Bridge is exceptional, however, especially when there’s an evening sunset.
Location: (Just south of the 1400 block of Burrard Street and crossing False Creek between Vanier Park and the southern tip of Sunset Beach).
Main Advantages of the Burrard Street Bridge
- The view of English Bay, the sunset, boats in the water, the city at night and the fireworks (when they happen) can all be amazing!
- You’re close enough to English Bay for a spectacular view of the fireworks (at least when they were the size of the Celebration of Light), but far enough away to avoid most of the crowds.
Main Disadvantages of the Burrard Street Bridge
- You need to arrive early to get a good view, but there isn’t a whole lot to do while you wait (except admire the view, play on your phone and chat with your friends). Also, unless your bring a chair, the only thing to sit on is the sidewalk.
Tips & Advice for the Burrard Bridge
- On fireworks nights, it’s best to arrive early to get a spot near the railing.
- You could take your camera (and your tripod). The view is stunning!
Pyrotechnic Viewing from the Granville Street Bridge
Similar to the Burrard Street Bridge, the view of the pyrotechnic displays from the west side of the Granville Street Bridge was good.
Location: (Just south of the 1400 block of Granville Street above Granville Island and overlooking False Creek).
Advantages & Disadvantages of the Granville Street Bridge
The main advantages and disadvantages of the Granville Street Bridge venue are pretty much the same as from Burrard Street Bridge.
The main differences are that (1) the fireworks are slightly further away, (2) the Burrard Street Bridge blocks some of the view of the fireworks, and (3) the view of the Burrard Street Bridge with fireworks in the background is beautiful.
Watching the Fireworks from the Water
Not everyone has access to a boat, but those who do and can watch the fireworks from the water arguably have the best seats in the region.
Hundreds of people could watch the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks from the comfort of a boat. Sometimes it was their boat or that of a friend, and sometimes it was a special charter like on one of Vancouver’s Harbour Cruises. One of our favourite companies who offered waterfront excursions is Vancouver Boat Parties. We watched the fireworks from one of their boat parties in the past, and in 2025 there was one boat party on each night of the fireworks.
Main Advantages of Viewing from a Boat
- The view of the fireworks and the city are second to none!
- The water can get crowded with boats, but nothing compared to the crowds of people on land.
- Traffic on the water can be bad, but, again, nothing like the post-fireworks traffic on the roads.
Tips & Advice for Viewing from a Boat
- Should the fireworks return in the future, if you get a chance to watch from a boat, do it!
- Take something warm to wear as it can get cold out on the water.
- If you like dinner cruises and nightclub-style boat parties, book an excursion with Vancouver Boat Parties.
General Fireworks Tips & Advice
The following tips and advice are good to know should the Celebration of Light return in the future (and if the Summer Lights in English Bay event ends up being of a similar size).
- Have patience when traveling home. The roads and public transit will both be packed and moving at a snail’s pace.
- Beware of the bridges! Downtown bridges can be a nightmare to cross after the fireworks. Traffic can be insane!
- Watch from close to home if you can. The absolute best place to watch the fireworks is from somewhere close to your home or hotel. If you can walk home after the fireworks are finished, you’ll be in bed an hour or more earlier than people who drive or take public transit.
- Either plan a quick getaway or hang around and relax after the show. If you don’t mind staying up really late, unless you can make a quick escape and beat the traffic, don’t be in a rush to get home. Consider going for walk, visiting a late-night restaurant, chatting with your friends or playing on your phone for an hour or so after the show while you wait for the traffic chaos to die down.
- Take appropriate clothing. Take a sweater or something extra to wear. Early evenings can be warm, but it can get cool as night progresses. Also, take good walking shoes. Sandy beaches are great for flip flops, so take them too, but expect to have to walk a fair ways to and from your car or public transit.
- Choose a distant venue if you have respiratory issues. Pyrotechnics generate a lot of smoke, and the Celebration of Light fireworks are big and go for a long time. The smoke isn’t generally a problem. Dust and debris, if any, fall mostly on the water. Occasionally, however, depending on the wind, smoke can drift ashore, so over the beaches and into town.
Fireworks Locations Video
The following video showcases the top places to watch the fireworks, should they return in the future, as well as how to spend the day leading up to the show.
Other Information
Click Celebration of Light for more information about the pre-BC Day long weekend fireworks. Or click Summer Lights in English Bay to learn about the new event for 2026.
See Vancouver Fireworks for fireworks at other times of the year.
Click BC Day in the Lower Mainland or Vancouver’s August Calendar to learn about other events taking place around the August long weekend.
Check out Festivals & Events for a list of other major events in the Lower Mainland throughout the year.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Premium English Bay Fireworks Venues
- Vancouver Boat Parties
- July Calendar of Events
- August Calendar of Events
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