The Vancouver Park Board has approved pay seating to help fund next year's cash-strapped Celebration of Light fireworks festival, and organizers are scaling the event back by one night.
The board voted Monday night in favour of installing up to 1,000 bleacher seats at English Bay, with tickets selling for around $65 each.
The decision came the same day event organizers announced the 2011 event will be cut from the usual four nights down to three.
"This change reduces the celebration's impact on and disruption to West End residents," Brent MacGregor, chair of the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society, said in a release.
MacGregor said the cut will also bring a "significant reduction in costs" to the city and park board.
The festival will take place on July 30, Aug. 3 and Aug. 6.
