Fireworks are scheduled to blast overhead in Parksville on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 17. (Pixabay)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

big event

‘The type of show that you’d expect in a big city:’ fireworks to ignite above Parksville

Aug 17, 2024 | 5:50 AM

PARKSVILLE — Thousands of people will converge on Parksville’s waterfront for a dazzling fireworks display punching well above the city’s weight class.

Quality Foods Festival of Lights marks the unofficial closure of the Parksville Beach Festival, where an extended run of fireworks will launch from a barge in Parksville Bay on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 17.

“This is the type of show that you’d expect in a big city and you’re getting it right here in a smaller community in Parksville. It’s a world-class event lasting around half an hour,” Quality Foods vice president Justin Schley told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The show starts at dusk at about 9:30 p.m., Schley noted, which will be simulcast on 88.5 FM The Beach.

Schley said attendees taking in the show for the first time will likely be surprised at the calibre of the professionally orchestrated pyrotechnics.

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He suggested motorists park above the Community Park, as parking availability will be extremely limited.

Schley said parking attendants will assist with on-site traffic flow.

Schley said their annual Festival of Lights show in Parksville is a great source of pride for the locally-born 42-year-old company.

“This area is where we call home, we just love to support the community,” Schley said. “It’s been a great event over the years, it’s family-friendly and it fits our brand well,” he said.

Aside from fireworks, the 29 sand sculptures serving as the centrepiece of the Parksville Beach Festival will be ignited as well.

Saturday night represents the second and final night the Coastal Community Credit Union Light Up where the sand sculptures will be illuminated with unique lighting between dusk and 11 p.m.

The five-week-long annual Parksville Beach Festival, which typically draws in excess of 100,000 people, concludes on Sunday, Aug. 18.

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