VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The HSBC Celebration of Light, produced by the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society, will be wrapping up its affairs ending 18 great years of Vancouver fireworks and the biggest offshore fireworks competition in the world.

Deemed a Civic Event by the City of Vancouver in 2001, after Benson and Hedges pulled their sponsorship due to federal regulation, the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society and the City partnered together; with the city providing services including Policing, Traffic control and clean‐up and the Society raising the balance of funding and presenting the event free to all who came and watched. However, over the past eight years, fundraising to keep the fireworks alive for all to enjoy has been a challenge. This year the not for profit society has been unable to retain and add enough sponsorships to meet the event' $4 million annual in kind and cash budget.

"it has been an exceptional 18 year event -the largest of its kind in the world -and it is a credit to our many exceptional sponsors that we kept the event going year after year. However, the current financial situation makes it impossible for us to continue. To our sponsors and operational partners, to the City of Vancouver, and most important to the residents and visitors who came each summer to watch the spectacular shows -Thank you!"says Brent MacGregor, Chair of the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society.

Mayor Gregor Robertson expressed disappointment that the Celebration of Light will not proceed, as it is such a great family event and noting that the City was prepared to continue its support for the event.

In the past eight years participating countries have included: Canada, USA, China, Spain, Mexico, Czech Republic, Italy, Sweden and South Africa.

With approximately 350,000 -400,000 spectators per night, for each of the four nights of the show, the event had an economic impact of over $37 million annually in direct visitor spending.

Major sponsors last year included: The City of Vancouver, HSBC Bank Canada, Tourism Vancouver, Concord Pacific, London Drugs, Starlight Casino, BC150, BC Hydro and YVR Airport Authority.

The Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society is a non‐profit organization created in 2001 to produce and manage the HSBC Celebration of Light. The HSBC Celebration of Light Fireworks is one of the most renowned international

fireworks competitions in the world, and Vancouver' signature free, family, fun summer event.

For more information, photos and/or interviews, please contact:

Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society
Zirka Reshitnyk,
Tel.: 604‐642‐6835 Fax: 604‐608‐4452 Cell: 778‐991‐6733
E‐mail: zirka@celebration‐of‐light.com