Vancouver will have New Year's fireworks again

Organizers are hoping a big New Year's shindig will become an annual event in Vancouver.

After 80,000 people gathered near Canada Place to ring in 2016 making it the largest public New Year's Eve event in Canada plans are now underway for a similar event to celebrate the start of 2017.

The Vancouver New Year's Eve Celebration Society announced its second annual celebration, complete with high-aerial fireworks launched from a barge, free concerts, and food trucks.

"We're hoping to see similar numbers," said Dani Pretto, chair of the society. "We hope the time of year and weather doesn't deter people from coming out to celebrate with the community in a fun family-friendly event."

Making things extra special this year, Pretto said, is a federal contribution of $226,000 from the Department of Canadian Heritage forCanada's 150th anniversary.

"It's a significant portion of our funding," she said.

Communities across the country including Victoria will be receiving funds to kick off 150th anniversary celebrations on Dec. 31, 2016.

The New Year's Eve celebrations come after a decade-long absence of public, community-oriented New Year's celebrations in the city something critics grumbled added to Vancouver's "no-fun" city moniker.

In 2014, a potential New Year's Eve event was cancelled due a lack of money. At the time, organizers said sponsors were less willing to go out on a limb on an unproven event.

Planning and programming for this year's event is currently underway, and Preto said she is hoping to announce details in the next few weeks.