September 1st, 2024. I’m sitting on my couch, scrolling through local event forums. It’s my first full day living in Vancouver, and I want to make the most of my new freedom. The whole city is at my fingertips, but what to do…?
I stumble across a post promoting an annual event: Victory Square Block Party – this afternoon!
“Sure,” I think to myself, “why not?”
With absolutely zero expectations, I make my way from Burnaby to Gastown, relying on Google Maps to help me navigate each step through this new environment.
I’m feeling a bit turned around, but I can hear music in the distance. I follow that sound until I find exactly what I was searching for. A vibrant patch of green, with various cool-looking people sprawled across picnic blankets and camping chairs. Ahead of the crowd, there’s a band playing on the small stage, along with a few tents selling small snacks, merchandise, and raffle tickets.
I find my own patch of grass and take a seat. Most attendees were in groups of 3 or more, but I don’t mind the solitude. I just sit, soak in the sun, and enjoy the music. Before I know it, the sun is starting to set, and the night is coming to a close. Riding the skytrain home, I can’t help but feel inspired by the day I just had.
(@millenniumkids__ / Instagram)
The Victory Square Block Party is an annual free event put on by CiTR FM and Discorder Magazine, both of which are projects of UBC’s Student Radio Society. 2024 featured performances from local artists, including Lilex & the Apocalips, New Age Doom, and Scarlet Fever, just to name a few.
In my experience, this was the perfect welcome to Vancouver’s music scene. I immediately felt a sense of community. Every one of us was there for the same thing: we love music and want to support local artists.
By the end of the night, it didn’t matter that I was one of the only people who came alone, or that I was too shy to introduce myself to anyone, or even that my moves were rusty as hell. Victory Square became one big dance party! We grooved, we boogied, dare I say we even jived. It felt like I had found a circle of friends, even just for one night.
(@millenniumkids__ / Instagram)
For the first few weeks I lived in the city, I spent as many nights as I could at Victory Square. New artists were playing there all the time, until it finally got too cold for outdoor shows and they had to stop for the season.
As the nights get warmer, keep an eye on the Victory Square Events Instagram, where shows are announced. Nothing is official yet, but I’m sure you’ll be able to find me lounging in the grass, listening to some of the best local bands this summer.