What: Car Free YYJ
Where: Douglas Street
When: Sunday, June 17, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: Free
Car Free YYJ is growing slowly but assuredly, expanding both its footprint and offerings with each passing year.
With its fourth edition looming, organizers of the food and music festival are expecting another spectacular turn. The hugely popular Father’s Day event could post a record tally on Sunday, with organizers estimating between 35,000 and 40,000 people on site for the car-free event.
“It’s huge,” said Vanessa Leong of Atomique Productions, project manager of the event. “In terms of volume of attendees, it’s second only to Canada Day.”
Nine blocks along Douglas Street, from Chatham Street to Courtney Street, will be devoid of cars from 11 a.m. onward, with Johnson Street, Yates Street and Fort Street the only cross-streets open to vehicle traffic. The remainder of the area will be closed to allow only foot traffic through. Bicycles are permitted within that footprint, but are required to be locked up at the bike valet on Pandora Avenue.
“It provides an opportunity to invite people into the downtown core for something is vibrant, exciting, and unique,” said Jeff Bray, executive director of the Downtown Victoria Business Association.
“It’s an opportunity for people who, perhaps, haven’t been downtown for a while to see what’s here — to get reacquainted with what is now being recognized as one of the truly great downtowns, for a mid-size city like ours, in North America.”
Car Free YYJ is presented by the Downtown Victoria Business Association in partnership with the City of Victoria and B.C. Transit. It takes four partners (including Atomique) to pull off an event of this magnitude for just a single day of operation, Bray said. “The city has to do a great deal of work, in terms of the physical infrastructure, and Transit is always a great partner in getting people to and from the event. This is about activating the street in a different way for a day. There’s no other message than: ‘Come on down and enjoy downtown.’ ”
Centennial Square will host the First Peoples’ Festival from noon until 5 p.m., one of three stages in action during Car Free YYJ. Two all-ages, licensed beverage gardens in front of stages at Fisgard and Yates streets will host 13 acts throughout the course of the day, including sets by the New Groovement, Electric Sex Panther, Union Cartel, the County Line and High Noon to Midnight. A third beverage garden will be out front of the Strathcona Hotel for people 19 and over.
Asked about his favourite part of the festival, Bray replied: “The energy, the creativity, the community. It brings in both people who live downtown and people from around the CRD in a vibrant, energetic and positive way. For those of us who are downtown all the time, it’s becoming the norm.”
A 4,000-square-foot park — with real grass — between Pandora and Johnson Streets always draws a crowd, Leong said. The uniqueness of a grassy patch in the middle of Douglas Street is just one of the attractions helping Car Free YYJ take steps forward each year.
Leong said there will be 350 vendors, the most to date. Vendor applications were filled almost immediately, which tells Leong the event provides value for both her clients and customers. “The possibility for expansion is always there,” she said. “I could probably fill 1,000 vendor spaces. The demand is there. People love the day, and it’s a busy day for vendors. It’s a really great opportunity to come out and market your business.”
Bands and where they’re playing at Car Free YYJ
FISGARD STAGE
11:30 a.m. Cara Bateman
12:30 p.m. Half Moon Shine
1:30 p.m. The County Line
2:30 p.m. Union Cartel
3:30 p.m. Wise Child
4:30 p.m. High Noon to Midnight
YATES STAGE
11 a.m. Le La La Dancers
12 p.m. Tilted Frame
12:50 p.m. Impulse Response
1:50 p.m. Teenage Violets
2:50 p.m. Scram and the First Team
3:50 p.m. The New Groovement
4:50 p.m. Electric Sex Panther
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
