This is really a bad news I just read on PyroPlanet.com and I hope that the Montreal competition will not face the same dramatic situation...

Fred

It's only a matter of time before our competition meets the same fate. The Montreal fireworks competition should be safe for at least a few more years, right?

In either case, this is very disappointing and intimidating news.

Trav.

There's a campaign to save the Vancouver competition (it's not the 1st time it has been canceled - they had the same problem when tobacco sponsorship was banned).



Go to http://www.savethefireworks.ca/ and help if you can.

Some of the information on that site is hyperbole though as they state it is the "largest and most viewed fireworks competition in the world". I guess they haven't heard about Montreal

Paul.

Hi Paul,

Thanks for providing the link to the website - I will certainly provide my contributions to help save that competition. With luck, it will once again not be canceled.

The report also gives some interesting spectator statistics, where it is estimated that there are about 350,000 to 400,000 spectators per night, which is fairly identical to the figure associated with that of the Montreal competition. I personally think that this piece of information is quite hyperbole. Prove me wrong!

Trav.

Well... Monday was the black MOnday.

On top of the Vancouver difficulties, monday night was also the scene of a big fire in China that wrecked a luxury hotel. Even tho the cause remain unknown, it could possibly be related to the fireworks celebrating the end of the Chinese new year...

There's tons of articles on the subject. Here's one of them. Google it up for more infos...

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/09/china.hotel.fire/index .html

Seems my email to the savethefireworks organizers has done the trick - they are no longer saying its the largest and most viewed fireworks competition in the World. It is certainly an important event for Vancouver and I wish the organizers of the fund raising campaign all the best and sincerely hope that the competition can continue.

Paul.

Actually, the fire I was talking about in China was related to an illegal firework made by CCTV, the Chinese Television. They were trying to hide it, as they are the responsible (!).

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/10/asia/beijing.php

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-02/11/content_7465570.htm

It continue, the life been illegal..

Good news: the Vancouver competition is going to be held this year. Congratulations to everyone who worked hard to make this happen. Press release here: http://www.celebration-of-light.com/_pdf/release_2009-03-11_2009_firew orks.pdf

Paul.

Amazing !

That's great news, and I hope that the competition will endure for at least the next few years.

Heh, I saw this statement again in that article:

"The HSBC Celebration of Light is the largest off shore fireworks competition in the world"

Trav.

is the largest off shore fireworks

I think it's true about the "off shore" part At least they correct their earlier hyperbole.

Paul.

I suppose that is correct. I think they had stated the "offshore" aspect in the PyroPlanet article before, but at least it's understood in where the Vancouver competition stands.

Btw, I hear Six Flags may be considering on filing for bankruptcy, likely because of the recession.

Trav.