Construction crews have started putting together the bleachers that will seat 1,000 Celebration of Light spectators on prime fireworks-viewing real estate.
The bleachers are located on a grassy area of English Bay that has been staked out hours in advance of past years' fireworks shows.
But Andrea Dowd-Dever of event coordination company Brand Live said the bleachers, despite appearing quite large, actually take up less than one per cent of the area available viewing.
"It takes up a pretty small space on the beach, to be honest," Dowd-Dever said, adding that the bleachers are "a great spot for people who want to come maybe a bit later."
She added that paying ticket-holders are helping to fund the popular show, which draws tens of thousands of people to the shoreline per night.
"We're really looking at ways we can generate a bit of revenue to try and help offset the operational expenses," Dowd-Dever said. "Every little bit helps."
Funding and sponsorship deficiencies have been reported in past years, even forcing the Vancouver Fireworks Society to cancel the show in 2009. A new sponsor eventually came on board and resurrected the event.
The bleachers have already proven a popular addition. Early-bird seat tickets, which sold for $35 per night, have already sold out while full-price tickets remain available for $45.
This year's show begins on July 30th with China's presentation, followed by Spain on Aug. 3 and Canada on Aug. 6. CTV British Columbia will stream all three nights of the 21st annual show live on our website starting at 10 p.m. on fireworks nights.
