Help Fund Local Emerging Vendors at Car Free Day Vancouver

Car Free Day Vancouver attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year, making it one of the city’s largest and most diverse street festivals. The event offers a chance to support local businesses, enjoy unique food and entertainment, and come together as a community for fun and celebration.

In 2025 our goal is to give 150 free vending spaces for artisans makers or artists who are emerging or Indigenous. These opportunities will showcase their skills and creativity to a broad audience, supporting Vancouver’s creative and cultural scene.

Why This Campaign Matters

It can be challenging as an emerging artisan, maker or artist to find affordable spaces or stages to build your business, present work, and gain recognition. Vancouver Car Free Days are an excellent opportunity for this. They attract large, diverse crowds, offering unparalleled exposure for vendors and artists alike. However, costs associated with participation can be prohibitive for those just starting out. We want to change that by introducing a program that will give folks just starting out FREE space at our festival, and you can help!

Our focus is on supporting local communities and showcasing emerging talented artisans, vendors, and performers. We aim to create an inclusive environment where all participants can share their crafts. This is where you can make a difference! By lending your support, you can help these vendors and performers kickstart their journeys as a participant at Car Free Day Vancouver.

Our Goal

We aim to raise $35,000 to support local performance artists and emerging artisans with:

Stall Fees: Cover the cost of stallholder fees for emerging, low income artisans, makers and vendors to exhibit their work

Performance opportunities: Space to showcase on one of our many community stages.

Performance Fee: Pay performance artists for their work

Promotion: Feature artisans & artists on the Vancouver Car Free Days website and social media platforms

Your contribution will directly impact the careers of these emerging artists and artisans, helping them to reach new heights and build lasting connections within the community. Every dollar counts!

Please note: We will be conducting a special intake for emerging artisans, makers, vendors and performing artists in Early 2025. You can stay in the know by signing up for our newsletter at www.carfreevancouver.org

About Car Free Vancouver Society (CFVS)

Car Free Days Vancouver, organised by the Car Free Vancouver Society, are annual festivals promoting active transportation, sustainability, community engagement, culture and public spaces. Held on the first three weekends in September, the events mark a commitment to ecological awareness by closing major streets to car traffic, and envisioning what these spaces could be like if they were less vehicle-centric. They create accessible, pedestrian-friendly environments that encourage community interaction, cultural expression and economic support.

The festivals feature live performances, artisans, local businesses, and non-profits, alongside neighbourhood block parties and community-run spaces that also contribute to the event’s community engagement and vitality. Running for almost twenty years, these much-loved festivals offer a chance for local businesses, artisans and performers to be seen and celebrated.

Let’s come together to support the creative heart of Vancouver! Your generosity will not only uplift individual artisans and performing artists, but also culturally enrich our community. Together we can do it!

Donate today and be a part of this exciting initiative! Further details and application information will be posted early in the new year on the Vancouver Car Free Days website: www.carfreevancouver.org