What do you do to mark a 25th anniversary?
If it was a wedding anniversary, one might purchase a rather expensive trinket, plan a romantic vacation, or throw a big party.
For the team behind Arts Alive Festival, they鈥檙e mark milestone by hosting the biggest bash ever held in downtown 91原创 City, said Teri James, executive director of the Downtown 91原创 Business Association.
Arts Alive is a free, one-day family event featuring live musical performances, artists and artisans showcasing a myriad of mediums, live demonstrations, a children鈥檚 venue, and special performances throughout the day.
Reaching that quarter century marker, the 鈥渕ust-attend鈥� festival has become a signature event for 91原创, drawing spectators from throughout the Lower Mainland, James said.
So, to celebrate the momentous occasion, they鈥檙e again closing off the main drag (Fraser Highway between 204th and 206th Streets) and amping up the festivities by infusing even more to do and see between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18.
That鈥檚 going to mean literally tens of thousands are expected to turn out for this party, James said.
鈥淚 think this is just one of those events people really look forward to. We hear them start talking about it back in January, and anticipation amps up as it draws closers,鈥� she said.
Despite the heat during last year event, it attracted 25,000. Weather pending, James expects even more this year.
While cooler weather could help bolster the numbers, James also believes much higher traction on social media this year will translate to a large number of first-timers.
鈥淪o, I think it鈥檚 going to be huge attendance,鈥� she predicted, 鈥渦nless it鈥檚 40 degrees, and then I鈥檓 not even sure I鈥檒l turn up.鈥�
Assuming there鈥檚 no desert-like temperatures on Saturday, there will be 鈥渢ons鈥� more street performers moving throughout the crowd, James announced.
There will also be more artist and artisan offering demonstrations. Plus, the show will also feature a few food trucks, added in for good measure.
And the big news this year, James said, is the introduction of a beer and wine garden.
Early on in the Arts Alive history, that being more than 10 to 15 years ago, the DLBA asked the City to support a beer garden, James explained. The application was refused, because the municipality didn鈥檛 have a policy allowing for such ventures.
Fast forward to early 2018, a formal policy now in place, and the DLBA chose to revisit the idea.
鈥淚t seemed like a good year to introduce it, 25th anniversary鈥� they said it was about time we kept up with the rest of the Lower Mainland in offering that to our patrons.鈥�
The question then was who do they ask to run it. The 91原创 Elks were recommended, and everything is now in the works to run the charity beer garden 鈥� all proceeds to the Elks 鈥� from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the south end of the McBurney Plaza 鈥� within viewing and listening range of the McBurney stage, James added.
As for the backbone of the event, the artists and artisans who set up in vendor booths along the street, James said, they鈥檙e 100 per cent full, with 192 vendors.
鈥淏elieve me when I tell you that we鈥檝e tucked vendors into every nook and cranny, every berm, every sidewalk bulge, everything we鈥檝e had to take advantage of. We鈥檙e jammed,鈥� James said, noting 15 vendors alone are going to be set up in Salt Lane this year, and another dozen or more spots have been added on the end of the highway, pushing the eastern limits of the festival site right to the edge at 206th Street.
High-energy entertainment and activities will also extended into the children鈥檚 venue, which again is being located at the mouth of the one-way, in the old CIBC parking lot.
鈥淣othing new, necessarily,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 just such a success up there, why change it if it鈥檚 not broke.鈥�
That area will again feature bouncy castles, chalk art, balloon twisting, facepainting, arts and crafts, and live entertainment.
鈥淲e have outstanding entertainers throughout,鈥� James added.
There will once again be three different stages set up along the one-way, with live entertainment scheduled throughout the day.
There will be 鈥渢ons of street performers鈥� more than ever, just because we鈥檙e celebrating our 25th and we wanted to make sure that people are entertained by a variety of different sources. So, they can listen to music, they can be entertained by the street performers, we鈥檝e got demonstrations along the whole vendor route, we鈥檝e got dance troupes and people doing painting demonstrations, we鈥檝e got singing鈥� it will be kind of a non-stop area of stuff to see and do,鈥� James said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e just made sure it鈥檚 going to be fun, like all day lots of fun stuff.鈥�
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25th annual Arts Alive: Live on stage
There are three stages for entertainment at this year鈥檚 festival.
McBurney Plaza
鈥� 10-11 a.m. 鈥� Ashley & Giddy Kizito
鈥� 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 鈥� David Beckingham
鈥� 1-3 p.m. 鈥� Clay Ravens
鈥� 3-5 p.m. 鈥� Echo Nebraska
Children鈥檚 venue
鈥� 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 鈥� Jessica Barbour Duo
鈥� 1:30-3:30 p.m. 鈥� Rossi Music
Salt Lane
鈥� 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 鈥� Ari Neufeld
