Black Block Party

The Black Block Party is a celebration of black culture with live music, art installations, market vendors and more outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in August.

Black Block Party in Vancouver

The Black Block Party is a fun way to immerse yourself in black culture in downtown Vancouver. It’s a free and inclusive one-day event that showcases the black community and fosters friendships with allies.

The first ever Black Block Party took place in 2022. It featured talented black singers, artists and cooks. There were live performances, visual art displays and other activities throughout the afternoon and evening on the day of the event.

Although the event was free to attend last year, tickets were available online for folks wanting to skip lines at the entrance. This also gave organizers an idea of how many people to expect, which was especially important due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In total, the Black Block Party attracted close to 4,000 people last year. Organizers expect even more people to attend in 2023.

When and Where?

In 2022 the Black Block Party took place on August 27th. Festivities ran from 1:00 until 9:00 pm. The event returns in 2023, but with its exact date and other details to be confirmed.

Like last year, the event happens at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square outside the Vancouver Art Gallery at 750 Hornby Street.

Entertainment Lineup

As of mid-March, performers at the 2023 event have yet to be announced.

The 2022 Black Block Party featured several talented artists throughout the day. For an idea of what to expect in 2023, performers from last year are listed below. We expect the 2023 lineup to be comparable.

Adewolf
Athina’s Moon
Bukola Balogun
Bxundless
Dey
Ian Cromwell
Serengeti

Food Vendors

The Black Block Party is a great opportunity to taste food inspired by different regions of Africa and the Caribbean. Be sure to enjoy snacks and a tasty meal from one of the many vendors on-site.

Food trucks at the 2023 event are to be confirmed. Last year’s event featured Dehls Gourmet, Kula Foods, Vansuya and Yardie Grabz. There were dishes from Ghana, Jamaica, Nigeria and other regions.