West 4th Avenue celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock at this year’s Summer of Love on Saturday August 15th.
The 60’s were an amazing time in Kitsilano. Known as “San Francisco North”, artists, musicians and social activists were drawn to the area, and the Hippie movement took hold here like nowhere else in Canada. And the feelings of freedom, advocacy and tolerance of the 60’s are still very much alive in the community. To celebrate the decade that put Kitsilano on the world map, West 4th Avenue is celebrating Summer of Love, with four stages of live music, macramé, patio parties, sidewalk sales, and a car show.
Summer of Love is brought to us by the Kitsilano 4th Avenue Business Association.
Last modified: August 10, 2009
What a load of bunk, honestly I don’t know whether to laugh, cry or puke.
This is all so contrived and nonsensical it boggles the mind.
The Kits residents I’ve spoken to in their 60’s & 70’s tell me that these contrived ‘celebrations’ reflect nothing of that time, I moved here just after.
I see other neighbourhoods like Commercial Drive and Main Street participate in true country wide movements like Car Free Days, here in Kits we have the same travelling Old Car Show that’s everywhere in the Lower Mainland all summer, a few truly awful bands and a few stores with tawdry trinkets for sale on the sidewalk.
Rubber boot throwing, what’s next Dwarf Tossing?
I note that larger companies like Capers and Safeway studiously ignore the fake event and I know why.
Generally I’m in Caper’s on Saturday between 3 & 5 PM and it’s packed, go on ‘Fake Hippies Daze’ and the place is deserted, mind you so is most of the street, tell me where the hell are the crowds?
Given the abysmal turnout for these non events how much longer are the organisers willing to embarrass themselves and the neighbourhood like this?
I’m with you Bill on the contrived aspect. However, I don’t think the only thing to celebrate are the “country wide movements like Car Free Days”. The North Shore has the Salmon Festival and it’s well attended. What they need is a decent concept, good location, and a reason for the public to attend. The ‘Summer of Love’ fest is unnecessary and poorly executed. But let them keep trying….it’s not that disruptive.
I was at this Years (2009) “Event”. It was Packed…being one of the “truly awful bands” this Year, I found the entire time I spent there(sadly brief) was great fun but had to leave as my “truly awful band” had to Perform at a Second Festival in Mission later that Saturday.
Maybe go for a walk as the St. is closed to traffic and find the enjoyment I saw on everyone else’s faces. Young and Old. What a great day it was. Smile
Who is the miserable corporate yuppy Grandpa posting above.He gets all up tight if he doesn’t see a Starbucks at least on every block. About as original as a piece of burnt toast. He likes all the big box stores, and corporate chains everywhere in his neighborhood and the bland corporate pop music of today’s horrible music scene!Mellow out Mr. Miserable!