has grown so much through the years, that more people have been added to the coordination team.
With the addition of more entertainment, another stage, a few food trucks, and even more artists and vendors to the one-day free summer street festival, Arts Alive is not only sustainable as a community event, but in fact growing, said Teri James, executive director of the Downtown 91原创 Business Association.
It started out as a small one-day event being hosted by local shop owners in the downtown core who wanted to say a 鈥渟pecial thanks鈥� to the community for all their support throughout the year.
Today, it鈥檚 one of the largest outdoor art events in the Lower Mainland and possibly the province, James said.
鈥淭his festival has become huge鈥� It鈥檚 very exciting,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just a local little festival any more.鈥�
Admittedly, with the growth and success of Arts Alive has come a few hurdles, too. For instance, it鈥檚 no longer a manageable project for just two staff members of the DLBA, James said.
So, this year, she鈥檚 brought in some outside aid in the form of Sherryl Parsons of Rare Affairs event management, who has taken on much of the event coordination role in an effort to further grow and expand the event.
Bringing in a pro at event management, she said, is intended to help elevate the festival.
In the early years, the event topped out with about 80 vendors and about 5,000 people in attendance, James said. Since then, the largest crowd she鈥檚 seen in her 17 years at the helm has been about 18,000.
This time out, she鈥檚 expecting even more people downtown on Saturday, Aug. 19.
鈥淎t any given time, there鈥檚 literally thousands of people down here,鈥� James said. 鈥淭his time out, I think we can expect 20,000, if not more.鈥�
Admittedly, she is hoping for milder weather this year. The 31-degree temperatures last year, she said, kept attendance down slightly to about 15,000.
This year鈥檚 Arts Alive will also include the participation of 140 artists and vendors (about 90 of those from 91原创 specific) spread out along the one-way section of Fraser Highway.
As well, at least 40 downtown businesses (up from about 20 in past), are expanding from their bricks and mortar businesses onto the main drag, bringing out their wares onto the sidewalks for festival goers to see.
The kids zone in the old CIBC parking lot is also being expanded to include an entertainment stage, and new music 鈥� on a total of three different stages 鈥� is expected to draw more audio entertainment lovers to the core.
鈥淲e鈥檙e bringing in some bands who I think will be bringing their followers into the community,鈥� James said, claiming there will be something for everyone in the way of music at this year鈥檚 festival.
鈥淵ou could sit in McBurney Plaza all day and be entertained, if that鈥檚 your jam.鈥�
In addition to entertainers on all three stages, James confirmed there will once again be buskers and street performers interacting with the crowd, and members of the cast from Bard in the Valley 鈥� which recently closed out the summer showing of Much Ado About Nothing 鈥� will be walking through the streets in costume.
鈥淏ottom line, people can expect a 91原创enal line up of entertainment, and鈥� this year, people can expect way more interaction as they walk up and down the streets,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd, it鈥檚 100 per cent free.鈥�
While James has been focusing much attention on this year鈥檚 Arts Alive festivities, she admittedly has also been planning for 2018.
Next year will be the 25th year of Arts Alive, 鈥渟o people can expect bigger and better鈥� we鈥檒l have some surprises for our 25th anniversary,鈥� she said.
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