The annual Blackberry Festival in the qathet region has gone through many iterations over the years, but it wasn’t until 1993 that Marine Area Business Association (MABA) adopted it and Shelley Halliday conjured up the idea of a full-on street party.
After many years of organizing the beloved event, MABA is passing on the festival torch to Powell River Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Powell River.
For anyone who owns a business, it's been a tough few years and costs keep going up. Putting on a street party takes plenty of time and money.
However, chamber board member Taran Brown and president Dave Formosa are hopeful about the festival's future as they plan for this year's event, which takes place on Friday, August 16.
The blackberry-themed street gathering has become an established August tradition for qathet residents and tourists. Brown and Formosa hope to keep the annual party alive, with the intent to make it even more spectacular in the coming years.
Chamber director Lisanne English, who is also part of MABA, approached the chamber board with the ongoing struggles facing MABA, including being low on volunteers.
The idea of the chamber taking over the festival was pitched to MABA president Ian Fleming, and he was all for it.
"However, the chamber board didn't want to take it on without assistance from another organization," said Brown. "The reason why MABA was likely struggling with it, is simply because it's become a massive event."
That's where the Rotary Club comes into the picture. Brown said despite the uncertainty about the festival this year, it is hosting the largest number of vendors in its history.
"This year, we're currently sitting around 119 approved vendors, including entertainers," said Brown. "Rotary, as the community knows, has a vast resource of volunteers, and so we agreed that the chamber would handle the administration and Rotary would take it from there with the volunteers."
Although the end-of-night fireworks display is not happening this year, the homage to the blackberry will still be in full force.
"It's been interesting so far," said Formosa. "We've run into some issues but we've also gotten great support from the business community and the city [of Powell River] and others, so we're happy about that."
The street party will feature live music, art exhibitions, interactive performances and tasting stations offering up blackberry treats.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but Formosa said organizers are looking at the possibility of a band and a dance at Willingdon Beach, in the absence of the fireworks display.
"I just enjoy mingling with the community and seeing all the vendors, enjoying food and music and seeing everybody have a great time in our community; how can it not be a fun night?" added Formosa. "If there's new people or members of the business community in town, or there's tourists, they get to see what Marine Avenue has to offer, that it's very vibrant down there."
The 2024 Blackberry Festival begins in the late afternoon on Friday, August 16. The annual street party takes place between Alberni and Duncan streets.
"Food vendors will be spread out throughout the entire event, plus there will be two beer gardens," said Brown, adding that this year's festival is also more accessible.
"The parking lot beside 32 Lakes is going to be barricaded off, accessible from the back. There will be a barricade and a Rotarian opening it up for people with mobility concerns to park. Parking here will be limited, and only available on a first-come, first-serve basis."
A shuttle is also being provided for folks from the Powell River Town Centre Mall to Marine Avenue at regular intervals throughout the evening.
"I would like to see us get to a place where we don't just have free entertainment, but we have entertainers we bring in and pay for," said Brown. "We can make this event better and bring more people in from different communities. It's only going to benefit the vendors more to have a bigger draw to the event."
A video from the 2023 street party can be watched by searching for Blackberry Festival 2023 on YouTube.
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
