Despite a few family-friendly daytime events, not one Metro Vancouver municipality has a public New Year's Eve celebration planned to welcome 2011 – in contrast to many other Canadian cities.
From Winnipeg to St. John's, the most common way to ring in the New Year is with a public fireworks display. Edmonton has a full 12-minute pyrotechnic and fireworks show set to begin at midnight -- but stargazing Vancouverites will have little to see besides clouds and sky.
Other traditional celebrations include outdoor concerts and countdowns. Vancouver has neither, and won't even be lighting the Olympic torch like it did on Canada Day.
Talk about a no-fun city.
After the widely-embraced outdoor celebrations of the 2010 Winter Games, some in the city hoped for more this Dec. 31 -- but were left disappointed.
There are some options available for family-friendly fun, including a number of public skating events at rinks across the city.
Most will be closed by 5 p.m., however, with the exception of the Robson Square rink, which will host two live bands and two early countdowns for the kids.
"We're going to have a family countdown at 7 p.m. and we have some glow sticks and some bubbles for the kids," program manager Michelle Woywitka said.
"From 7 to 9 we're having the Henry Young Quartet coming down and doing a little jazz routine. Then we're going to have another countdown at 9 p.m."
The free event ends at 11 p.m.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Brent Shearer
