A new community event in New Westminster, the On Your Block Festival is a summertime jam with music, food and fun for people of all ages at Tipperary Park.
The goal of the festival is to bring the community together in a safe space and to foster, celebrate and promote unity, collaboration, togetherness, diversity and multiculturalism. The event is hosted by Odihi which is a Black-led not-for-profit organization that helps educate, equip, and empower black girls and women.
The first ever On Your Block Festival happened in New Westminster in 2022. It happens again on Saturday, July 8th, in 2023.
For the festival’s official website visit onyourblockfest.com.
The On Your Block Multicultural Festival at Tipperary Park
2022 was the debut year of the On Your Block Festival. The event is put on by the Odihi organization and is meant to bring together anyone and everyone in the area who wants to attend. At the event there are live music performances, giveaways of different kinds, plenty of food, a beer garden and more.
The inaugural festival took place on July 9th in 2022. It’s free to attend and open to people of all ages.
Location and Time
The On Your Block Festival takes place in Tipperary Park at 315 Queens Avenue in New Westminster. It’s the same park where the New West Farmers Market happens on Thursdays for much of the year. The park is just a few blocks (and an eight-minute walk) up the hill from the Columbia SkyTrain Station. It’s also just a block or so from New Westminster’s City Hall.
The 2022 event took place on Saturday, July 9th, from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Tickets are not required to attend the festival. You can just show up whenever and enjoy the event.
For the festival’s official website visit onyourblockfest.com.
What to Expect
The On Your Block Festival takes place outdoors in Tipperary Park with various activities to enjoy including some specifically for children. There are food trucks and artisan vendors selling their products. There is also a beer garden with drinks on tap from Yellow Dog Brewing, Studio Brewing and the Strathcona Beer Company.
At the festival plenty of DJs and other musicians perform over the course of the day. They include DJ Oga Rossco, Sam Chimes, Brotha Jason, DJ Costa Besta, Tony Ramirez, Owabowa and more. For the full 2022 lineup click On Your Block Festival.
2022 Entertainment Schedule
Below was the entertainment lineup for the festival on the Artist Stage. The 2023 lineup will likely be comparable.
- 1:00 pm – Opening Ceremony
- 1:30 pm – Tamami, Emilio & Jonathan
- 2:30 pm – Doaa Magdy & Beebs
- 3:00 pm – Elizabeth Irving
- 4:00 pm – Owabowa, Brotha Jason, Tony Ramirez & Mickey Mars
- 5:30 pm – Andrew Murphy
- 6:30 pm – DJ Oga Rossco
- 7:30 pm – DJ Costa Besta
- 8:30 pm – Closing Ceremony and Raffle Winner Announcements
And entertaining in the Acoustic Beer Garden for about an hour each are the following artists:
- 2:00 pm – Danny Gascho
- 4:00 pm – Sam Chimes
- 6:00 pm – Jamie J
For the festival’s official website visit onyourblockfest.com.
The Odihi Organization
The organization that hosts the On Your Block Festival is Odihi. Odihi is a local non-profit group that aims to empower black girls and women and help advance their careers. The organization partners with various companies and industries to provide partnerships. Odihi often hosts networking and other similar types of events to try and increase the number of black women who are in business.
To learn more about the organization visit the Odihi website.
Other Information
For more information about the event in New Westminster, visit the On Your Block Festival website.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Uptown Live Street Party
- Black Block Party
- Vancouver Festivals and Events
- Entertainment in Vancouver
- New West Farmers Market
Vancouver’s Best Places is proud to sponsor the On Your Block Festival. Other events our website sponsored in 2022 included Uptown Live (which also happens in New Westminster) and Carnaval del Sol (which took place on the same weekend as the On Your Block Festival).
