Many people will tell you that it’s nearly impossible to build a sense of community when you live in a big city. I beg to differ and so does the Burnaby Heights Merchants Association. This past weekend, we experienced the annual Hats Off Day where Merchants along Hastings Street in North Burnaby tip their hats to their patrons and put on a fun little street party.
By and large, Hats Off Day this year was a lot like what we saw last year. The stretch of Hastings Street between Boundary and Holdom were closed off to traffic, allowing for a pedestrian (and dog) friendly area for quite the street party. We got live music, bouncy castles, special deals and some pretty darn good food too.
Rocky’s Meats had Italian sausage on a bun, for instance, and Chez Meme Baguette Bistro continued its brief Hats Off Day tradition by serving some affordable French crepes (starting at $1!). This neighborhood has traditionally been Italian, but it is becoming increasingly multicultural with no shortage of Vietnamese, French, Japanese and even Turkish shops popping up. And we all get along like one big happy family.
Embedded below is a quick video that I shot on Saturday. For me, Hats Off Day officially marks the beginning of summer in the city. I look forward to more festivals and community events over the course of the next several weeks.
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