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Fireworks are dangerous material.

Did you know that in 2008, fireworks caused an estimated 22,500 reported fires in North America and hospital emergency rooms treated some 7,000 people for fireworks related injuries? More than half of these injuries were to the extremities and 37% were to the head. Think about it, handling fireworks could turn you blind. So be very very careful about that. Teens ages 15-19 and children 5-9 were 2.5 times more likely than adults to get hurt. Figures are from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

If you insisted on having fireworks for your Halloween fun, you can still obtain these explosives legally. The City of Vancouver has a policy page that tells you that you need to be at least 19 years of age and requires a permit to purchase fireworks. [Info from the City of Vancouver web site - How to get a fireworks permit: Follow the directions on Fire's website or call 604.873.7593. Permits are free, but you must successfully complete a fireworks safety test to acquire one. You may get a permit anytime during the year.]

Check out the 2010 Family Fireworks Permit Application. For more safety tips, go to British Columbia Professional Firefighters’ Burn Fund.

The annual Celebration of Light fireworks show is done by professional pyrotechnic experts. Handling fireworks should be done with extreme care.

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On July 31, 2010, A Quebec team paid tribute to China and lit up the night sky with an explosive firework display for all Vancouver to see. That also concluded Celebration of Light 2010. Now that all four contenders have performed, is it Team USA, Team Spain, Team Mexico or Team (Quebec-China) to win it? All the pyrotechnics experts did their job really well this year. Whoever holds the title is for the judges to decide. One thing’s for sure, the real winners is the Vancouver audience and the many visitors who came for this event. Thanks of course to this year’s four major sponsors: The Keg, London Drugs, HSBC and Concord Pacific. Let’s just hope that this immensely popular Celebration of Light fireworks competition continues to attract corporate sponsors and return stronger as ever next year.

Team Quebec-China Part 1, Celebration of Light 2010 (July 31, 2010)

Team Quebec-China Part 2, Celebration of Light 2010 (July 31, 2010)


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This is Part 2 of the Mexico Night fireworks, amigo. Part 1 is here. Can the Mexican fireworks best the efforts by Team USA and Team Spain? Of course there is still China, the crowd’s favorite, sitting on the sideline eager to steal the prize at the Celebration of Light fireworks competition this Saturday (July31).

VIDEO – Mexican firework highlights (Part 2) Spectacular finish!



Part 1 Mexico fireworks VIDEO

[Note: Music added during post-production by La Cumbia George and Mariachi El Mojado.]

English Bay 2500 Beach Ave. Vancouver BC

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This is Part 1 of the Mexico Night fireworks. Part 2 Mexico Night fireworks is here. Can the Mexican fireworks best the efforts by Team USA and Team Spain? Of course there is still China, the crowd’s favorite, sitting on the sideline eager to steal the prize at the Celebration of Light fireworks competition this Saturday (July31).

I felt that the Mexican fireworks had subtleties and character, yet there are some quiet moments that maybe a bit too long that created a lure. The finale and highlights of the night are crowd-pleasing and second to none for sure. You be the judge to see if the Mexican pyrotechnic lightshow display at Vancouver’s English Bay can beat the Americans, and Spaniard and topple the Chinese later.

VIDEO – Mexican firework highlights (Part 1)


[Note: Music added in post-production by La Cumbia George and Mariachi El Mojado.]

English Bay 2500 Beach Ave. Vancouver BC

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Caribbean Days Festival. July 24-25, 2010. FREE. Waterfront Park, North Vancouver. Caribbean Days Parade 10:00AM Sat. All Day Caribbean music and celebration. Waterfront Party, July 24 7:30 pm to 1:00 AM. Recording artist Moses Revolution special engagement. http://www.caribbeandays.ca/

Celebration of Light. July 24, 2010. 10:00PM. FREE. English Bay, Vancouver. Spain fireworks. Theme: Hell & Heaven. Sponsored by London Drugs. Also July 28 (Wed) Mexico fireworks (HSBC) and July 31(Sat) China fireworks (Concord Pacific). http://www.celebration-of-light.com/

Honeybee Festival. July 24-25, 2010. 10AM-4PM. Honeybee Centre at 7480 176 Street, Surrey, BC. Family community event. Exhibit and activities. Thrilling bee beard, beekeeping demos, live music, artists market, honey-tasting, Kids’ Zone etc. http://www.honeybeecentre.com

Mission Folk Music Festival. Jul 23—25, 2010. TICKETS. Fraser River Heritage Park, Mission, BC. Canadian and International artists. http://www.missionfolkmusicfestival.ca/

Cirque du Soleil: Kooza. July 22-Aug 22, 2010. TICKETS. Under the blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau at Concord Pacific Place. Acrobat, theatre, music and dance. Kooza tells the story of The Innocent, the loner and the search for his place in the world. http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza

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Like Part 1, Part 2 has only the good stuff, no dead spaces. Wide shots to take in the whole view and closer shots for a more intimate look. July 21, 2010 (Wed) Team America.



English Bay 2500 Beach Ave. Vancouver BC
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It is the Americans to go first on July 21, 2010 (Wed) in a series of competitions that also includes Spain (July 24), Mexico (July28) and China (July 31). The 2010 event is the 20th anniversary. Hundreds of thousands of Vancouverites showed up each year to catch the fireworks. Successful as it maybe, this FREE public event experienced financial difficulties in recent years. So much so that organizers weren’t sure whether this year could actually go on. It pulled through in the last minute. The fireworks were lit from a barge moored at about 1000 ft or 300 m off the shoreline of English Bay.



English Bay 2500 Beach Ave. Vancouver BC

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Location: English Bay. The fireworks barge will be 100 ft (300m) off the shore of English Bay.

Best Viewing Location: Around English Bay e.g. English Bay, Kitsilano, Vanier Park, Jericho Beach or anywhere that has a direct sightline of the English Bay shoreline.

Notes: Traffic will be bad. Vehicle access to the West End and Kitsilano areas will be closed off and limited to local residents from 7:30 to 11:30 pm in the West End and from 6 to 11:30 pm in Kits Point. Use public transit or bike. Get there early and prepare to walk. Music simulcast on Shore 104FM.


Schedule:

July 21 (Wed) U.S.A. Fireworks sponsored by The Keg Steakhouse and Bar
July 24 (Sat) Spain Fireworks sponsored by London Drugs
July 28 (Wed) Mexico Fireworks sponsored by HSBC
July 31 (Sat) China Fireworks sponsored by Concord Pacific

Watch 1 minute highlight of 2009 Celebration of Light

English Bay 2500 Beach Ave. Vancouver BC
[googlemaps http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2500+Beach+Ave.+Vancouver+BC&sll=49.284212,-123.142576&sspn=0.021499,0.038409&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2500+Beach+Ave,+Vancouver,+Greater+Vancouver+Regional+District,+British+Columbia+V6E+1V3&ll=49.284212,-123.142576&spn=0.015397,0.034246&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=400&h=275]

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What’s up with the prominent military presence at Canada Place on Canada Day July 01, 2010? There is a reason for that. According to Tony Evans, a navy officer from Victoria BC, the Canadian Forces launched Operation Connection (Op Connection) this year which is an on-going effort to ’connect’ with Canadians and make Canadians more aware of who the Canadian Forces were and what they did which can be roughly divided into 3 parts: Sovereignty, Security and Serving Canada. To reinforce those ideals and celebrate the Canadian Navy’s 100th birthday, the feds also just re-announced their plan to invest $35 billion over the next 30 years to upgrade the naval fleet many of which had been in use since WWII. The expenditure will be used to modernize the Canadian Navy and build 28 large vessels and 100 smaller ships for the navy and Coast Guard. Shipbuilders around the country were no doubt very glad to hear the news.

The HMCS Vancouver was docked at Canada Place pier although the public was not allowed to get onboard as the ship was holding a private function on Canada Day. As musicians performed on stage at the site of the relit 2010 Olympic Cauldron, just yards away in the air, a yellow Canadian Forces SAR helicopter conducted a search-and-rescue demonstration off the waterfront at the Vancouver Convention Centre. As children eagerly climbed atop the military tank parked outside the Canada Place front entrance, adults and even young teens inside the pavilion couldn’t wait to get their hands on the military weaponry on display like machine guns and even a rocket launcher. A piece of a jetfighter front-end with a cockpit was on display and it was no less popular than any other military paraphernalia at the show.

The presence of military personnel on public streets gives citizens a sense of tension and security at the same time. Canadians especially those of us on the westcoast are not used to that. Although for many of us Vancouverites who have lived with armored policing for about a month during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are now a little more used to having security forces around. The military made us more aware of the global unrest that is happening in places like Afghanistan and the Middle East too. This may as a result focuses us more to appreciate the roles that the Canadian Forces play in maintaining stability and help in rebuilding some of the world’s most troublesome spots.

To celebrate Canada Day in Vancouver, the 2010 Olympics Cauldron was relit at the Vancouver Convention Centre. When the fireworks lit up the night sky at 10:30 PM, it was actually the Olympic flame on the ground that burned even brighter. For many peace-loving Canadians, those were the kind of bright lights, dynamites and explosions that we liked to see. But then again the world is not a perfect place.

















999 Canada Place, Vancouver BC

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To celebrate Canada Day in Vancouver, the 2010 Olympics Cauldron was relit at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Tens of thousands of people showed up in Canada Place to enjoy all the festivities which began early in the morning. There was a Canada Day Parade in downtown Vancouver at 7PM. Many stayed in the area to watch the Canada Day Fireworks at Coal Harbor at 10:30PM. While the fireworks lit up the night sky, it was the Olympic flame on the ground that burned even brighter.

[This specially edited video features fast-motion and non-stop action.]



Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver BC

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