How Public Festivals Foster a Sense of Belonging
We’ve all done at least one of these over the past year: take a walk by the seawall, pass through Robson Square or have a coffee on Granville Island. But what are these locations to us? What is their contribution to our sense of belonging to the city? We all associate our city life with at least one public space or the other. But could there more to a public space than just the scenery, the shops and the coffee?
Being a newcomer to Vancouver and having moved around the world a few times, I often think what makes us feel belong to somewhere. This certainly is a complex and multilayered question; factors such as language, finance, social and family ties, culture etc. all play a role in our sense of belonging. However, looking at the big picture, I came to a single prominent answer to my question: memories, well let’s say pleasant memories. I look back and think about the previous cities that I have lived in and all that comes to my mind about why I miss them or what I miss about them are the memories I have made there.
I lived in Montreal for some years and my strongest sense of belonging to the city is to its Quartier des spectacles, where public festivals took place back to back. For a one-day visitor, Quartier des spectacles is a beautiful and welcoming public space in the heart of downtown and the city’s art and shopping district. But for a Montrealer, it’s much more than that. Quartier des spectacles, as its name implies, is where the fun festivals take place: the International Jazz Festival, the Francofolies, the Just for Laughs and many more. It’s where people go to enjoy their time with their friends and family, watch a show, have a hotdog and take selfies. It’s where new friendships are made and old ones are strengthened. It’s a location that has created memories in the minds of almost all its residents, a place that brings a smile by reminding you of all the memories that you share with your friends or even people you have never met. I’m sure I share this feeling with Montrealers that are now living in Vancouver.
A couple of weeks ago my family and I went to the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s Kite Dance. The event was held at Vanier Park, a location that I had walked or biked through many times. Not that I did not enjoy my previous commutes through Vanier park, but now this location gives me a different feeling. When I walk around that area, I always remember the flying kites that resembled cherry blossom petals in the air and the pleasant time that I had there with my family in early Vancouver spring. I now have a lasting and personal connection with the park, the city and cherry blossoms.
Public spaces are the perfect spots for creating lasting memories. Public festivals and public events can be the catalyst that persuade people to get out of their home, visit the public space, enjoy the scenery and have a pleasant time, be it as large as the Sun Run, or as relatively small as the cherry blossom kite dance. Importantly, these events create a sense of belonging, especially in newcomers. That could be one way to help give up the unpleasant title of Canada’s unhappiest city.