Big summer ahead for Burnaby events

With COVID-19 capacity and event restrictions lifting, the City of Burnaby is getting ready to ramp up its outdoor events this summer.

A report presented at last week’s Parks, Recreation, and Culture Commission meeting notes that there are 12 outdoor events planned for the Deer Lake Festival Lawn between May 1 and September 30, and up to 23 special events at Swangard Stadium between April 1 and November 1.

Burnaby’s biggest events—including summer concert series, sports tournaments, and several cultural events—have been on hiatus since the start of the pandemic.

The report stated that this summer, planned events include the return of the annual Symphony at the Park and the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival at Deer Lake’s Festival Lawn.

Swangard Stadium is expected to see more events this year due to the Whitecaps FC LP playing 10 games and potential playoff matches at the venue. Burnaby Celebrates Canada Day, the Safe & Sound Festival, Korean Cultural Heritage Festival, Phillippine Cultural Heritage Festival, Fiji Fest, Chinese Cultural Festival, Vancouver Bubble Tea Festival, the Fruit Beer Fest are also slated to take place at the stadium.

The commission approved the 2022 outdoor events detailed in the report and it was advanced to council for approval.

Another Burnaby event discussed during the meeting was Giro Di Burnaby, the cycling event that has taken place in Burnaby for the past 15 years except in 2020 and 2021, when it was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The event is a tribute to the city’s Italian community and the famous Giro d’Italia and debuted in the city in 2006, and brings in thousands of spectators. It is also part of BC’s Superweek Series, which encompasses a series of professional cycling event across Metro Vancouver every summer.

Although Giro Di Burnaby is set to return to the city in July, the report presented to the commission notes that “it is unknown what the appetite for sponsorship is in the community as Burnaby recovers from the COVID-19 variant. Many of the cyclists who participate in Superweek are international and their availability is still being determined.”

Parks Commissioner Rainy Kent stated that putting on the “massive event” this summer will take a lot of legwork.

“It’s great to see that it’s on the table but there will be a lot of planning that needs to go forward if the event will take place in July,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of potential for the Giro Di Burnaby, personally speaking [and] being involved with it for so many years, and I think there is great opportunity coming together as a committee to decide what the best opportunity and future for that race is. We have the interest, it’s a great event for the city. Do we have time to get it on the books by July? That’s a good question.”

The commission approved a motion to have the Giro Di Burnaby’s Race committee to work with staff to bring forward a report for the 2022 BC Superweek budget and race details for approval.