The annual Steveston Salmon Festival will step up its game this year with a better, high-calibre parade, big children’s festival and what is believed to be the biggest beer garden in its history, according to festival co-chair Kirstine Dickson.
The festival’s 73rd edition will also be complemented by a number of City of Richmond activities outside the festival grounds, including an evening rock concert segueing into a riverside fireworks show (10:15 p.m.).
All in all, Steveston Village is expected to be bumping from the moment the first pancake is flipped at the community breakfast (6:30 a.m.) to when 1,200 pounds of salmon is baked over open fire pits (from 11 a.m.) and finally until blues and reggae rock band Big Sugar increases decibel levels like never seen before (9-10 p.m.).
Long-time Stevestonite and festival volunteer Dickson and co-chair Brenda Yttri are expecting 100,000 people at what is dubbed “Canada’s biggest little birthday party.”
Buses, as well as a shuttle between Richmond City Hall and Britannia Shipyards (8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.), could bring in an additional 20,000 people in the late afternoon and evening for post-parade and salmon bake Richmond Canada Day events.
While people come and go, the hope and desire is to ensure people are having fun all day, said Dickson.
“I wanted to make some changes to make it more exciting. I wanted to bring people back and say we are doing more fun things,” said Dickson, having noticed people were growing tired of the festival’s routine.
This year, the parade (10 a.m. along Moncton Street to Railway Avenue) led by mascot Sammy the Salmon will be shorter and less commercialized, with more impressive floats, said Dickson. And the Spirit of Steveston Zone on Moncton Street will double as an all-ages, fully-licensed beer garden with all-day music until 8 p.m.
Other attractions along Moncton Street, east of No. 1 Road, include a bigger children’s festival at the baseball diamond, including inflatables, mini carnival games, face painters, clowns, and Steveston’s own Charlotte Diamond and the Hug Bug Band (2 p.m.)
Also on site will be a Japanese cultural show, martial arts demonstrations, trade show, horticultural show, artisan gallery, pie and ice cream parlour and car show.
Last year the city hosted Canada 150 celebrations dubbed Richmond Canada Day. It has hosted other events on Canada Day before, such as Ships to Shore. This year, Richmond Canada Day returns as a separate, but complimentary set of activities, including a main stage on Bayview Street, food trucks and a host of open public facilities (Steveston Museum, Steveston Tram, Gulf of Georgia Cannery and Britannia Shipyards).
“We’re happy to have something for people to do after our event ends, and more choices for food. I love the fact that there will be a main stage in the evening,” said Dickson.
Also included is a city-organized street hockey tournament held on First Avenue.
Dickson noted that what makes the festival what it is, is the way Steveston residents embrace the day.
In many respects, she said, the festival is not just the planned activities but the backyard barbecues and general positive attitude throughout the Village.
“Every single person knows Canada Day is a Steveston thing. It’s just what we grow up with. It’s embedded that this is what we do on Canada Day and it’s, I like to think, because of the Salmon Festival.”
2018 Steveston Salmon Festival by Graeme Wood on Scribd
