On September 14, 2025, Hero’s Welcome transforms the 100 block of E 23rd into a celebration of Vancouver’s local music scene during the Main Street Car Free Day. From 12 PM to 7 PM, the street is going to be alive with energy. Everyone is welcome, whether you skateboard there, ride your bike, or transit. Everything except cars is welcome. Events like these have gotten popular over the past few years, and as Infidels Jazz (the organizer of DM Electric Ko at the block party) writes on their Facebook, “There’s so much live music happening in Vancouver these days and it can only continue if you come to the shows.” The effort organizations are putting into making Vancouver an even more vibrant city is a testament to why Vancouver’s music scene feels like a living, breathing heartbeat of the city. It’s become a necessary part of Vancouver.
(Vancouver is awesome / website)
The lineup is very carefully curated. At 1:30 PM, DM Electric Ko, will be kicking things off with their electrifying grooves, setting the street alight with energy. By 2:30 PM, it’s going to go country because Justine Redila will be inviting everyone to stomp and sway for line dancing lessons, turning strangers into synchronized dancers. Ian Badger’s 3:15 PM set will bring introspective melodies that feel like a calm amidst the chaos, while Deaf Dogs at 4:30 PM unleash “Dawgggg energy” that is sure to reverberate through the crowd. Closing at 6 PM, and the headliner is WAIT//LESS. I know, ironic positioning considering we are all going to be waiting for them to perform at the very end. But you know they will deliver. Their sound is a perfect, energetic end to a journey of musical discovery we are going to go on tomorrow.
Walking through Vancouver, there is creativity in every corner. But when it is put onto blast like this for block parties and festivals, that’s when it gets most fun. You get to discover new artists, enjoy music with people like you who enjoy music, and enjoy various creative endeavors, all in one area. The fact that so many car free days are happening all around Vancouver is also a testament to the people in power truly understanding their social responsibility of helping to do our part in the environment, however small. I love when the music scene starts becoming a city’s pulse, may that be clubs, underground venues, or Sunday family fun. Vancouver’s musicians make the ordinary extraordinary, turning a Sunday afternoon into a vibrant mixture of sound that’ll get you excited to listen to live music again and again.