Hats off Day 2011 in Photos

A few months ago I signed on to sponsor Hats Off Day in Burnaby. I admit, when the Burnaby Heights Merchant Association approached me I had never previously heard of the event. What I soon found out is that it’s an annual highlight for many and whenever I would mention it in conversation, the responses were along the lines of “I love Hats Off Day!“, “It’s my favourite!“, “It’s so much fun!“.

The idea behind the one-day event is that the merchants of Burnaby Heights are tipping their hats, or taking their hats off to the community and the customers that have kept many of them in business over the last few decades.

It’s a parade followed by a street festival on Hastings between Boundary and Gamma (which is well over 10 city blocks).

Each retailer, bank, and restaurant opens their doors and offers up special deals, treats, and activities for the tens of thousands of visitors. John and I walked the length of the festival to put together this photo collection.

The Music

The Food

The People

You can view the rest of John’s photos on his Flickr stream, and mine are available on Flickr as well. Kudos to the Burnaby Heights Merchant Association, the businesses of Burnaby Heights, and all of today’s performers.