发布于 10 年 2025 月 XNUMX 日
这个 11th African Descent Festival, 温哥华, which was going to be held this weekend at English Bay Beach Park, was abruptly cancelled. This beach festival draws in tens of thousands of people.
这一年， Vancouver’s Park Board 拒绝了 African Descent Society B.C. application for a permit to host the festival over unresolved financial matters, as well as safety issues stemming from past events.
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The Vancouver Park Board made its decision public on Friday, explaining that the African Descent Society B.C. had failed to meet the necessary requirements for planning, safety, and financial obligations.
The board also mentioned that outstanding debts from past events to both the 公园委员会 和 Vancouver Police Department (VPD) remained unresolved.
According to the board, while the African Descent Society had reached a multi-year repayment agreement with the VPD, it was not finalized in time to allow for proper planning for the 2025 event.
The Park Board expressed that, without the necessary permit, the festival could not legally take place at English Bay Beach Park.
They offered alternatives to the organizers, suggesting the festival be moved to 桑顿公园—an area used for previous editions—or postponed until further arrangements could be made. However, both offers were turned down by the African Descent Society.
The festival coordinator, expressed deep frustration and disappointment in response to the Park Board’s decision. According to the coordinator, the festival’s setup was already in progress, with crews and vendors at the site, when they were informed that they could not proceed.
The official revealed that the Park Board’s decision to cancel the event was linked to public safety and the need to secure adequate policing resources.
The festival’s organizers had made efforts to settle financial concerns, paying a deposit to the VPD and negotiating a repayment plan. Despite these actions, the festival was ultimately cancelled.
The coordinator emphasized that the organizers had worked closely with the police, yet the city’s failure to release the grant funding due to outstanding debts had added an additional hurdle.
The official criticized the Park Board for what was perceived as a blow to the public image of the African Descent Festival, which has previously occurred without major incidents.
The coordinator remarked that the festival has been a safe and inclusive celebration for years, and the cancellation now threatened its future.
The African Descent Festival is typically funded through a mix of grants, including approximately 15,000 USD to 20,000 USD from provincial funding and an additional 15,000 USD from the 温哥华市.
However, the organizers claim that the city’s grant was not provided this year due to outstanding payments owed to the Vancouver Police Department from prior editions of the festival.
These outstanding obligations had not been resolved in time to meet the Park Board’s deadline for planning. According to the Vancouver Police Department’s own guidelines, major events such as the African Descent Festival require officers to work overtime, and the costs for these services must be covered by event organizers.
With the cancellation, the African Descent Society now faces a financial setback after having already invested nearly 1 Million USD in planning, and without any opportunity for reimbursement or recoupment of the costs.
The African Descent Festival holds significant cultural importance for Vancouver’s Black community, and the location at English Bay Beach Park holds historical weight as well. The park was once patrolled by Serafim Joe Fortes, Vancouver’s first Black lifeguard and a well-known figure in the city’s history.
电影节创始人 Yasin M. Kiraga emphasized this historical connection, stating that the event serve to honour the legacy of Fortes, who was not only a lifeguard but also an early Black resident and a key figure in the city’s cultural history.
Kiraga expressed frustration at the cancellation, explaining that the event was expected to draw more than 40,000 attendees, along with 150 vendors, to the beach.
In addition to the cultural performances, food, and dance that define the festival, it also plays a critical role in providing visibility and pride for Vancouver’s diverse African-descent communities. The festival was set to be a celebration of culture, heritage, and community.
The Park Board’s refusal to grant the event a permit has sparked widespread concern among festival organizers, participants, and supporters. The cancellation threatens to diminish the festival’s impact, risks tarnishing the event’s reputation.
The African Descent Society B.C. has said that it remains open to future discussions with the city and the Park Board but is deeply disappointed by the outcome.
The organizers are now left pondering what to do next as they’ve lost a major cultural event. A representative from the festival committee mentioned that this event used to be a centrepiece of Vancouver’s summer calendar and that not having it greatly diminishes the cultural tapestry of the city.
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标签： African Descent Festival, 文化活动, 活动取消, 温哥华新闻
