Six Fridays, Countless Memories: That’s a Wrap on Fridays On Front 2026!
A special thanks to our incredible photographer for the wonderful pics: Griffin Hayter
Darling… how are we already saying goodbye?!
Six themed nights. Countless dance moves. So many delicious bites. New friendships, familiar faces, incredible performances, local businesses, artists, volunteers, and thousands of moments shared on Front Street Mews.
From the moment we opened the season with Filipino Night to our spectacular finale at Indigenous Night, Fridays On Front 2026 reminded us exactly why we love gathering together in downtown New Westminster every summer!
So before your favourite street festival packs away her dancing shoes for the season, there’s only one thing left to say:
THANK YOU! 💖
🇵🇭 We Started the Summer With Filipino Night
Our first Friday (July 10) transformed the Mews into a celebration of Filipino culture, food, music, and community.
Our fabulous season-long host Justin Abitwelcomed everyone back to the festival, while Session Five filled the street with live music and the Tinikling dancers transported us to the tropical and maritime weather with their fabulous outfits and dance moves.
And the night didn’t stop after 10 pm. DJ Ceefour and the Barkada Hair & Studio crew brought the party all the way to their spot with an awesome set and the Filipino hospitality we know and love.
Now, let’s talk about the food. Our first food truck lineup certainly understood the assignment: Tornado Potato, Juicy Green & Fusion Icy, Shameless Buns, Ay! Mamacita, and Plato Filipino kept everyone fuelled for opening night.
New West Family Place brought games and family-friendly activities to our littlest players all season long, while Gel, our caricature artist, and Alex (aka YVR Polaroid Guy) guaranteed free souvenirs to remember the good times throughout the six festival nights!
What a way to press START on summer!
🎮 Then We Leveled Up With Games Night
For our second Friday (July 17), Front Street Mews became one giant playground.
Justin Abit returned to keep the party moving, Jewel Maiden brought unique gaming-inspired remixes to the stage, and DannyBStyle gave us live music and moves worthy of their own soundtrack.
And who could forget a certain speedy blue visitor? 💙
Sonic spent the evening roaming the Mews, surprising festival-goers, posing for photos, and creating some of our favourite reactions of the summer.
Our food truck power-ups included Little oOtie’s Mini Donuts, Stackers, S for Skewer, and Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
📼 Retro Night/Carfree Day Hit Rewind
Next up? We turned back the clock on July 24th.
Justin Abit, DJ Ceefour, and Clicks & Cuts had the dance floor grooving through decades of throwback favourites as we celebrated Retro Night and Car Free Day.
And yes—the TransLinkBus was parked for you to explore and take selfies, along with the I Heart Skytrain photo frame! 🚌✨
Festival-goers powered their dance moves with delicious eats from Hens Up Chicken, Frying Pan, Rocky Point Ice Cream, NaMì Vietnamese Cuisine, Memory Bing, and Ay! Mamacita.
💃 August Started With a Fiesta
After a quick long-weekend beauty rest, we returned ready to DANCE.
Fiesta Latina (August 7) brought Latin American music, dance, food, and culture to downtown New Westminster with our host Justin Abit, traditional performances from Roots Peruvian Dance, the irresistible Brazilian rhythms of Batucada Abrace, and the soul, funk, and Latin fusion sounds of Sacred Sol.
Our fiesta feast came courtesy of Dos Amigos, Crema Ice Cream, Holy Taco, Indish, Asian Concessions, and Taco Nori.
¡Qué noche! ❤️
🌈 Pride Night Filled Our Hearts With Love
Then came one fabulous Friday we won’t soon forget.
The evening before New West Pride Festival took over Columbia Street, Pride Night (August 14) gave our community the perfect warm-up.
Alongside Justin Abit, we welcomedNimrat The Drag, Wan-Ting Moi, Scarlett Rosé, and DJ Krista Mac for an evening filled with music, drag, dancing, self-expression, and plenty of Pride.
Keeping everyone fed were Mahshiko, Kona Ice, Taste of Malaysia, Truckin’ BBQ, Reel Mac and Cheese, and The Taco Tigre.
It was colourful, joyful, unapologetic, and filled with love. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
🧡 And We Gathered One Final Time for Indigenous Night
Our final Friday (August 21) brought the season to a special close through Indigenous music, storytelling, art, culture, food, and community.
Arts coordinator for the Qayqayt First Nation and granddaughter of the late Chief Larrabee, Tristan Wright, opened the event with an acknowledgement, welcoming our festival with stories of the site's importance to the Qayqayt community.
Justin Abit joined us one final time as host and drag king performer, alongside, local Kahkewistahaw artist and storyteller James Groening (Blue Sky), professional storyteller Kung-Jaadee, and Métis Canadian singer-songwriter Norine Braun.
We also had Magic Max entertaining kids and families with his magic tricks and fun personality!
Our final food truck lineup featured Slavic Rolls, Reel Mac and Cheese, Tokyo Katsu Sand, Hens Up Chicken, and Tradish.
It was a special opportunity to gather, listen, learn, connect, and close another Fridays On Front season together.
🍺 Cheers to the Folks Who Kept Us Refreshed
A summer of street parties requires refreshments!
A huge cheers goes to Steel & Oak Brewing Co., who kept local craft beer flowing throughout the season, and Heartberry Soda, refreshing festival-goers with locally made soda pops.
We’re grateful to every beverage partner who helped make our summer celebrations even sweeter!
🛍️ Local Businesses Made Front Street Mews Shine
Fridays On Front wouldn't be Fridays On Front without the businesses, artists, makers, and organizations who fill the street every week.
Thank you to downtown New Westminster business members Barkada Hair & Studio, Portside Law Corporation, Charm & Champagne Beauty Studio, Peoples Music Therapy, Grapevine Tattoo, Serpent Skin Tattoo Collective, The Hyve Tattoo Studio, Tiger Grooming & Beauty Lounge, Gamedeals Video Games, Relove Records, Native Art Renaissance Gallery, and every local business and vendor who joined us throughout the season.
From shopping and art to flash tattoos and free temporary tattoos, you gave festival-goers another reason to explore, discover, and support local.
💖 The People Behind the Party
There’s a whole lot of work behind every four-hour street party.
To our incredible Fridays On Front volunteers: THANK YOU. From setup to takedown and everything in between, your time, enthusiasm, and hard work helped us welcome our community week after week.
And to the entire Downtown New West BIA team working before, during, and after every Friday to bring this series to life—we did it! 💋
We’re grateful to the City of New Westminster for its continued support of Fridays On Front.
✨ To the Partners Who Helped Make It Possible
A huge standing ovation goes to Douglas College, our incredible presenting partner for Fridays On Front 2026. Thank you for helping us create another summer of community celebrations in downtown New Westminster! 💛
And to our season sponsors:
Thank you for believing in this event and supporting another summer of gathering, celebrating, and supporting our community.
💋 And Finally… Thank YOU
To every person who came to Front Street this summer:
Thank you for dancing, cheering for our performers, trying something delicious from a food truck, shopping from local businesses and vendors, bringing your crew, and for celebrating the cultures and communities represented throughout our six themed nights.
Six Fridays later, the street may be quieter…
…but the memories certainly aren’t. 🥹✨
Until next summer, darlings.
With love, glitter, and one final fabulous kiss,
Fridays On Front 💋
*Produced by Downtown New West BIA and presented by Douglas College.
New West Family Place returned for one final evening of family-friendly activities, creating opportunities for younger festival-goers to get involved in the fun, while Magic Max brought delight to kids and families with his tricks.
Our local business community was also represented amongst the vendors, through Downtown New West BIA members Grapevine Tattoo, who hosted free temporary tattoos, and Serpent Skin Tattoo Collective, who joined the evening with flash tattoos.
Thank you to all the artists, Indigenous makers, businesses, and vendors who joined Indigenous Night and helped make Front Street Mews a place to discover and support local throughout the season.
Coming Together For The Final Night
You've seen the stage, the food trucks, the vendors, and the crowds, but behind every Fridays On Front is a team working long before the first festival-goer arrives.
To our wonderful Downtown New West BIA team and our incredible volunteers: thank you for everything you poured into the final night. From setting up and welcoming attendees to answering questions, supporting vendors, keeping things running, and packing everything away at the end of another Friday, you helped make this season possible!
We're also grateful to the City of New Westminster for its continued support of Fridays On Front and to Douglas College, our presenting partner, for supporting another season of community celebrations in Downtown New Westminster. A special thank-you goes to our Indigenous Night sponsors, FortisBC and Reliance Properties, for supporting our final event of the summer.
And Finally… Thank YOU, Party People!
To everyone who attended our finale: Thank you for dancing, listening, cheering our performers, supporting local vendors, and gathering with friends to spend your summer Friday with us.
Watching Front Street Mews fill with people week after week is what makes all the work behind Fridays On Front worthwhile.
And if you’re feeling nostalgic and want to relive all the details of the past six nights, TOMORROW we are releasing a special final blog post recap of the season. So keep your eyes peeled on this Blog.
Talk soon,
Fridays On Front 💋
