By Diego Machado

On December 10th, the 300 block of Victoria Street in Downtown Kamloops will be closed to vehicle traffic for the Welcome To Winter Block party. The block party will take place from 12 PM to 7 PM between 3rd and 4th Avenue, and will be organized by the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association, in collaboration with the City of Kamloops and Kamloops Dearborn Ford. This will mark the first event between the KCBIA and the vehicle dealership in a three-year deal of sponsorship and collaboration for the benefit of the community.

KCBIA marketing and events coordinator Alex Eaket said that a fair amount of effort goes into organizing community events like this. They work closely with the city to arrange the event and liquor permits and traffic closures, find local merchants and restaurants to sell their goods and cater. They also arrange with local companies like GK Sound, an audio and visual equipment rental service to provide live music and DJ sets during events. 

However, for this event, in particular, there was less obligation as other members of the KCBIA already have some of the certifications required for closing down the roads safely, and the sponsorship deal with the Ford dealership allows easier negotiation with other local businesses. Coupled with the idea for the event being conceived early this year and planning that started in September, Eaket is sure the event will go smoothly.

Eaket says that community events like this are crucial for the local culture and economy to thrive. “It’s super important to support local businesses, especially our downtown businesses. We saw the pandemic, and how detrimental it was to some businesses, especially during the holiday season. This is a way for all of us to give back to people who support and contribute to our community.” 

She also went on to talk about how community events like the block party are a good way to start spending time out of the house with friends and family and see what local businesses have to offer while supporting them. “It’s really good for people to get together once again and be able to go with some friends, go look around at some cool stuff, do some shopping, grab some food, play some games, grab a beer, cider, a glass of wine, and just be able to come together. These kinds of events during the holiday season are really special, and something we’re very happy to be putting on for Kamloops.”

The benefits for local businesses and business owners also reach beyond an economic one alone. The businesses that participate in community events also get exposure on social media from other sponsored businesses, the KCBIA, and community members who attend the event. It’s also a good opportunity for business owners to have a refreshing change of venue, especially if they operate out of their own homes.

GK Sound, the company handling the audio equipment to keep the block party bumping, will also be providing Christmas lights to decorate the 300 block with beautiful winter-themed light displays. The KCBIA is also partnering with The Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Canada’s annual women’s curling championship, to promote the tournament happening in Kamloops in February with a 30-foot inflatable curling rink for event attendees to try out curling for the first time if they haven’t.

There will also be giveaways being held during the block party. The Scotties will be giving away two tickets for one game of the tournament, and the headlining sponsor Ford Dearborn will be giving away a gift basket and allowing submissions for their ongoing giveaway of a brand-new 2022 Ford Ecosport. The DKBIA will also be holding a raffle for a “downtown merchant gift basket” valued at over $1,500 in prizes and experiences from businesses downtown that can be entered in during the block party, or by shopping at participating businesses downtown during the holiday season.

The food at the event will be available from Krob Krua Thai restaurant, which is situated at 298 3rd Avenue downtown. There will also be warm drinks available from He Brews Ahava Coffee, a welcoming and warm coffee shop situated at the corner of Victoria Street and 2nd Avenue. The KCBIA is also encouraging attendees to check out some of the other locally-owned restaurants on the block like Pizza Pi, Mexican restaurant Casa Azul, and the new location of donair and shawarma restaurant. Klasske’s Bistro.

The date and time planned for the Welcome to Winter Block Party is very specific said Eaket, as the local WHL team The Kamloops Blazers will be playing against the Victoria Royals in the Sandman Centre downtown. “We’re hoping some people will decide to come down and check out some local vendors, maybe grab a beer before the game.” She continued by saying they had no estimate of how many people would be attending the event throughout the day, as they didn’t want to make any guesses based on attendance numbers for similar events that happened before the pandemic. “We’re not too sure. It might depend on how many people want to brave the cold for that time, but it’ll be worth it.

Eaket also said that the DKBIA is greatly encouraging Kamloops residents to come to check out the block party if they’ve never been to a community event before, especially as it’s the best way for them to gauge what works well for Kamloops as a whole. “The most we can ask is for people to attend the event, share it on social media and tell your friends about it. Say hey, let’s go out on a Saturday and do something fun. Especially since this is something that can only be done one day throughout the entire year.”

The origins of the KCBIA go back to 1968, and according to Gay Pooler, who was the general manager until 2017, it was founded by business owners and community leaders of the downtown core, like the well-known and honoured Fuoco family, who have a block of buildings bearing their namesake on Victoria Street. They’ve been heavily active since then, having a hand in hosting a “merchant party” for the opening of the Thompson Park Mall in 1970, which is now known as the Lansdowne Village Shopping Centre and the first Kamloops Santa Claus Parade in 1981.

They were also a significant part of planting 150 trees as part of the 1982 downtown revitalization initiative, the goal of which was to help make Downtown Kamloops more of a “people place”. Although the KCBIA has existed for nearly 80 years, it only became an incorporated, non-profit association in 2008. The mandate of the KCBIA is “To promote business growth and economic development in a format that will make the central business area of Kamloops a better place to visit, live and work.”

Current executive director of the KCBIA Howie Reimer, who stepped into the position at the beginning of this year, echoed similar sentiments to Ms. Eaket about the important purpose of the association. “Well, it’s pretty much in the name, Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association. It’s our job to promote and improve the business area between First Avenue and 10th Avenue and the South Thompson River and Columbia Street. And within that area, we promote, we do advocacy. We do events.” Reimer also said that the association also works to collaborate with “a lot” of other organizations that may want to hold events in the downtown area.

Join the KCBIA, Kamloops Dearborn Ford, and other collaborating local businesses and vendors for a cool day of winter fun at the Welcome Winter Block party in Downtown Kamloops. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from local vendors and experience the diverse range of art, culture, and products that Kamloops has to offer. The event will be taking place from 12 PM to 7 PM in the 300 block of Victoria Street (between 3rd and 4th Avenue), just before the Kamloops Blazers taking on the Victoria Royals at home. For more information, check out the social media pages of the KCBIA @ Downtown Kamloops on all platforms.