Thousands of people will descend on the Royal City for the final weekend of the 41st annual Hyack Festival.
This weekend's events include the Hyack International Parade and Uptown Live! on Saturday. The parade will feature entries from around the Pacific Northwest, including floats, marching bands, clowns and more.
"There is well over 100 entries," said Douglas Smith, executive director of the Hyack Festival Association. "Spokane and Portland are both coming up for the first time in a long time. We are really, really excited to have two of the major festivals in the Northwest coming up here. They haven't been here with their floats in a long time."
The parade begins with a demonstration by the Vancouver Police Motorcycle Drill Team, beginning between 10: 30 and 10: 45 a.m., and the parade officially gets underway at 11 a.m. The May 26 parade starts at Sixth Street at Eighth Avenue, proceeds down Sixth Street to Queens Avenue, continues to First Street and ends at the entrance to Queen's Park.
A new addition to this year's Hyack Festival lineup is Uptown Live!, a street party featuring displays, interactive street activities, food vendors and live music on multiple stages. It will be taking place in the uptown business district following the conclusion of the parade.
"The whole idea is to capitalize on the crowd that gathers for the parade," Smith said. "We want to keep the energy up all afternoon. It is a celebratory day for the community."
Uptown Live!, which will take place on Saturday, May 26 from 12 to 5 p.m., features two main entertainment stages on Sixth Street, as well as a kids' stage on Sixth Street near Fifth Avenue, and a fourth stage near River's Reach Pub.
"I think Uptown Live! is going to be an event that is going to take everybody by surprise in terms of its scope," Smith said. "I don't think New Westminster has ever had an event of this scope in the community. I think people are going to be blown away."
Smith said the musical performers include some of the top up-and-coming bands in Vancouver including The Zolas, No Sinner, Gay Nineties, Earlstown Winter, The New Values, Fine Times, Dan Moxon Trio, We Are the City and The Left.
Interactive activities for children, performances by the professionals at the Vancouver Circus School, and BMX demonstrations by Flowriders are also part of the day's fun. Kids will enjoy the inflatables (including a slide and a rock wall) on Belmont Street, and residents can enjoy the city hall open house that's taking place on Sixth Street between Sixth Avenue and Princess Street.
"We invite everyone to come out," Smith said. "I think they are going to be blown away by what we are trying to do."
