A new street festival this summer will have two dozen musical acts on its four stages located along Vancouver's Main Street as part of the free event.
The inaugural Pleasant Day Festival, taking place on Saturday, Aug. 9, will feature headliners Actors (a local post-punk band) and Haley Blais, whose latest album made it onto the 2024 Polaris Prize longlist.
Other notable acts taking the stages will be twin-sister act Fionn, multi-instrumentalist Ayla Tesler-Mabe (who used to play with Finn Wolfhard in the band Capurnia), and JP Maurice.
"Festival-goers can expect multiple stages showcasing a diverse lineup of musical talent, interactive activities, and plenty of space to explore the heart of Mount Pleasant in a whole new way," reads a press release from the Mount Pleasant BIA.
There will also be more eclectic performers, like Balkan Shmalkan, a self-described "sweet dance party orchestra" that sounds like it's led by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz, and Stephen Hamm, whose spacey music is punched up with a theremin.
Other acts on stages will include the bluesy retro-country Elliot C. Way, the Afro-soul band Serengeti, and hip-hop artist Kapok.
The free one-day event aims to recognize the businesses, entrepreneurs, and artists that bring soul, as well as an infectious spirit, to the backbone of the community.
Pleasant Day Festival
When: Aug 9, 2025, from noon to 8 p.m.
Where: Main Street from 16th Avenue to King Edward
Cost: Free
With files from Kyle Balzer
