The 2023 iteration of MissionFest is expected to be bigger and better than ever.
Mission Downtown Business Association (DBA) executive director Karley Holley says this year’s event will have more of everything.
There will be more cars from Mission Raceway Park and Pioneer Auto, more vendor booths at over 100, more bounce houses, on-stage performances, traffic control and volunteers.
The vendors will include community groups, retailers and downtown businesses. The event will also feature carnival games, a foam party and a zipline.
“I’m really excited to see the streets filled out,” Holley said.
Holley says the event will bring back past favourites but will also include new activities and improvements.
New this year is a flash mob from the Fraser Valley Dance Academy, the Words on Wheels bus from the Mission Association for Community Living and Mission Community Services Society’s medical RV.
This year, there will also be a food court/rest area in the Welton parking lot plaza instead of the farmers’ market. The area will have a fenced-off beer garden, vendor booths and five food trucks.
Holley started as executive director of the DBA in March 2023, taking over from Miriam Bozman.
She tried to use a lot of Bozman’s feedback, which included details like having extra face painters to try to mitigate the flow of traffic and keep everyone moving.
“Long lines are the death of fun at a community event,” Holley said.
It’s Holley’s first MissionFest as executive director and she is confident ahead of the event.
“I’m not nervous at all. I’m really excited. For what it has become, [I’m] very proud,” she said.
Holley says she was more nervous when she started the job in March and had five months to plan it.
With the event slated for Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Holley hopes for a strong turnout.
“I’m anticipating more people than last year – hopefully around the 10,000 mark,” she said. “Last year, I believe we saw between six and seven [thousand].”
During the event, First Avenue will be shut down to traffic from Murray Street to Grand Street.
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dillon.white@missioncityrecord.com
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