Northern Lights Display: January 2024

January 1^st, 2024

BC Place is recognized around the world as a landmark of Vancouver’s skyline and a place of pride for all British Columbians. Besides enhancing the overall guest experience during events, the stadium’s Northern Lights Display is used to amplify important causes upon request from the community.

 Below is the complete Northern Lights Display schedule for January (subject to change).

January 1: New Year's Show
January 2: blue for Alzheimer's Awareness Month
January 4: Ribbon Skirt Show for National Ribbon Skirt Day
January 7: gold for Orthodox Christmas
January 24: blue for Bell Let's Talk Day
January 27: yellow for International Holocaust Remembrance Day
January 28: purple for Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Day
January 31: Boat Show for Vancouver International Boat Show

Debra Sparrow hopes BC Place artwork 'lights the way as we move from darkness'

February 23^rd, 2023

BC Place’s iconic Northern Lights Display is illuminating with a special design by Debra Sparrow every night until February 26 as part of the VMF Winter Arts festival's Blanketing the City.

The renowned xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) weaver shared her thoughts on the importance of sharing Coast Salish weaving patterns, colours and stories using the stadium’s lights:

“If you look around the city, you see the tall glass buildings and the lights, but really, what is your history? What is the foundation and the roots of this place? It’s blankets. We blanket the city with murals, and through the VMF Winter Arts, we now light up Vancouver and light the way as we move away from the darkness of the pandemic.

“This year’s artwork is far brighter, and it has new patterns that I’m excited about. Patterns speak to all cultures. As xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) textile weavers, we reflect the geometrics that give the whole city a sense of connection.

“We hope that humanity can learn from looking at the beauty of this artwork, and that it offers a way of connecting us all to each other. Here we are, as Indigenous people living on the outskirts of what you know as a city, where all of our villages were and no longer are. This artwork is also to honour our ancestors, for our Elders who were so wrongly done, while opening up a new way for all of us.

“My hands are up to BC Place for this amazing collaboration with myself and the VMF Winter Arts.”

'A special connection': BC Place welcomes back students with Field of Dreams program

June 3^rd, 2022

The school participation program provides unique opportunity to play on same field as their sporting heroes

There’s nothing quite like seeing the smile on a child’s face.

And there were plenty of them at BC Place last month, as the stadium reopened its doors to schoolchildren in British Columbia with the Field of Dreams Schools Participation Program, welcoming back students to play on the same field as their sporting heroes.

“It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy playing on the huge, open space,” said Lori Prodan, Principal of šxʷwəq̓ʷəθət Crosstown Elementary School. “As BC Place is part of our neighborhood, we appreciate this community involvement in support of our students.” 

Launched in 2019, Field of Dreams is a community initiative designed to offer schools an indoor space for physical activities on the stadium’s field of play when it is not otherwise being utilized for events or operations. Having welcomed over 500 students during its pilot, the program resumed this past May after temporarily pausing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Community-building is imperative to BC Place, and we’re thrilled to see children running around at the stadium again,“ said Chris May, BC Place General Manager. “The experience provides these kids with a great facility for their school programs, while also sparking dreams of one day performing on this same turf. Seeing the smiles on these kids’ faces reminds us of our responsibility to enrich the lives of British Columbians, especially the youth in our community. We are thrilled to be able to support Field Of Dreams once again.”

The stadium hosted neighbouring šxʷwəq̓ʷəθət Crosstown Elementary School and The Westside School for the relaunch on May 19, including 60 students from Kindergarten to Grade 7 from each school per session, as they took part in activities included in their physical education curriculum.

"Given that our elementary campus is located just off Terry Fox Plaza, we feel a special connection to the stadium,” said Christie Berkey, Principal of The Westside School. “Our students have been excited to play on the field like professional athletes. This experience will surely remind our students that they can achieve great things with effort and teamwork!"

Schools interested in applying for the 2022 program are encouraged to visit bcplace.com for information, including eligibility criteria, application process, and program guidelines. To apply, please email stadium@bcpavco.com.