Parade

Apply for the Parade

LOCATION

Hastings St

From Beta Ave. to Boundary Rd.

Starting time

10:00 a.m.

Ending time varies depending on the number of entries

APPLICATION DEADLINE

April 11, 2025

at 12 P.M.

Parade Participation

Are you interested in being part of the Hats Off Day Parade? Check if your group is eligible.

The festival is a customer-appreciation day and a celebration of our Burnaby Heights community. To keep the focus on highlighting everything our district has to offer, we’re unable to include outside vendors, mobile vendors, food trucks, or non-Heights businesses in the festival or parade.

Eligibility Criteria

Heights Business Improvement Area (BIA)’s businesses (that is, merchants from 3700 to 4858 Hastings that are commercial lease-holders and business license holders on the Heights)
Burnaby-based non-profit associations. (Must be Burnaby based, and Burnaby-centric.)
Burnaby elementary and secondary schools (Burnaby Heights and North Burnaby schools will receive priority)
Burnaby Heights community’s places of worship (Boundary to Gamma, north of Frances)
Hats Off Day approved sponsors
Government Agencies that have been approved to be at Hats Off Day (City government, or relevant provincial or federal government agencies)
Non Burnaby-based non-profit associations on a case-by-case basis (for example, groups that are specific to this year’s Hats Off Day’s theme, or a specific cultural group that represents one of the cultures of North Burnaby).

Apply for the Parade

Contact Us

Hats Off Day is produced by the Heights Merchants Association. The Heights Merchants Association is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to foster the economic development of the Heights business district in cooperation with the community. They organize this special festival as a way to unite the community, celebrate what we have together, and give back.

Contact Info

What Is Hats Off Day?

Hats Off Day is Burnaby’s biggest annual street festival where the Heights businesses take their “hats off” to their community to thank them for their support.

Hats Off Day was started in the early 1980s by Clay Budd, Larry French, Jack Kuyer and Ed Wood, four merchants on Hastings Street in Burnaby. Watch the History of Hats Off Day movie, here.

The festival now attracts over 50,000 attendees every year. There is a colourful parade, vintage car show, thrilling race, live music, fun entertainment, delicious food, and lots of activities appropriate for all ages.