African Descent Festival in Vancouver cancelled after park board denies permit

Vancouver Park Board staff are seen at Vancouver's English Bay Beach on Saturday, Aug. 9.

Under an hour before it was set to begin Saturday morning, organizers of the African Descent Festival announced the event would not be going forward after the Vancouver Park Board denied a permit.

“Due to the Vancouver’s Board of Parks blatant, inequitable and unjust refusal to grant the event the permit to use English Bay Beach Park, the festival organizers have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event,” a statement from the festival reads.

The Vancouver Park Board alerted the public on Friday that if the festival were to take place at English Bay over the weekend it would be “unpermitted and unsanctioned.”

Read more: African Descent Festival at English Bay ‘unpermitted and unsanctioned,’ Vancouver Park Board says

The city said festival organizers had failed to meet “required planning, safety and financial obligations” and that “unresolved financial obligations” from previous years to the park board and Vancouver Police Department would need to be resolved in order for the event to be given permission.

The park board said staff offered alternatives such as moving the festival to its previous location in Thorton Park or postponing event for more planning time, but organizers declined the options.

Festival founder Yasin Kiraga Misago said he was told on Monday that the permit was declined because the VPD and park board didn’t have enough resources to facilitate the event.

“The festival has lost now, over this, about half a million dollars,” Kiraga Misago said on Friday. “I want the public to know about this.”

He told CTV News when he showed up to English Bay on Friday morning, police were on site to prevent the event from setting up, and he accused the city of “racism” and “injustice” for not supporting the festival.

The park board confirmed its staff didn’t allow organizers access to the commercial loading zones in English Bay because the festival did not have an event permit.

In its statement, the Vancouver Park Board said events such as the African Descent Festival “contribute to vibrant, welcoming community spaces and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our city.”

“We share in the disappointment that, despite ongoing efforts to find a viable path forward, we were unable to reach a resolution that would allow this year’s festival to take place with proper permits,” the board said.

The African Descent Festival has been running since 2015, though not always at English Bay, and typically features live music, cultural showcases and food vendors celebrating African cultures. Organizers expected thousands to attend this year.

“We are disappointed to announce the cancellation of the 2025 African Descent Festival. We were looking forward to celebrating our culture and heritage with the community,” Kiraga Misago said in the statement Saturday.

“We appreciate the understanding and support of our sponsors, volunteers, and attendees.”

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Andrew Weichel and Ian Holliday