The skies will light up over the Fraser River during the opening celebrations of the Lowe's Hyack Festival.
The Hyack Festival Association will kick off its 41st annual festival on Friday, May 18 with fireworks on the Fraser River waterfront.
"We want the fireworks to be a fixture on opening night of the Hyack Festival," said Bill Radbourne, president of the Hyack Festival association in a press release. "It ties in beautifully with the theme for our Hyack Festival float this year, which is Fired Up for Hyack. - We invite the community and everyone in the region to join us. It's going to be a wonderful evening and a great way to launch the festival."
Hyack has secured a number of corporate sponsors for this year's event, with Lowe's taking on sponsorship of Hyack Festival Week, Key West Ford presenting the 2012 Hyack International Parade and McQuarrie Hunter LLP sponsoring the fireworks.
The fireworks are only part of the festival's opening celebration, which will feature performances by veteran Vancouver songstress Babe Gurr, Brazilian jazz band Nova Sol and emerging young artist Alisia Lyne. Lyne will kick off the evening's entertainment at 7 p.m., Nova Sol will perform at 7: 45 p.m., the official opening ceremonies will take place at 8: 30 p.m., Gurr will take to the stage at 9 p.m. and the fireworks will cap off the evening beginning at about 10 p.m.
Douglas Smith, executive director of the Hyack Festival Association, said the association's goal is to produce "first rate" events including the inaugural Uptown Live. Uptown Live, which will take place on Saturday, May 26 from 12: 30 to 5 p.m., includes food and entertainment in the uptown area following the Hyack International Parade.
Uptown Live will feature two main entertainment stages, one at Sixth and Sixth and another at Sixth Avenue and Seventh Street. A third stage, a kid's stage, will be on Sixth Street near Fifth Avenue.
While the entertainment lineup is still being finalized, the free event will feature performances by Vancouver-based indie bands including The Zolas, No Sinner, Gay Nineties, Earlstown Winter and more.
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