After 25 years, Maple Ridge’s annual Caribbean festival will go silent.
Organizer Deddy Geese cites rising costs, economic uncertainty, and a lack of financial support from Maple Ridge City Hall for cancelling the long-running summer event, which has been known as the Tropical Vibes Music Fest in recent years.
“This is not simply about rising costs – though expenses have increased by 30-40 per cent since 2022 across artists, staging, insurance, security and rentals. It is about priorities,” said the Caribbean Festival Society in a statement to the city.
It said the festival has delivered measurable economic and cultural value to the city, benefiting tourism, supporting local businesses, and offering a platform for artists and cultural organizations.
Geese said the festival has attracted an estimated 250,000 attendees over the years.
“These are not abstract benefits, they are real contributions to the local economy and community identity,” said the society statement. “Yet despite this track record, we have faced ongoing instability in funding and a steady decline in corporate sponsorships, driven in part by uncertainty and in party by shifting local dynamics.”
Geese clarified that he asked the city for additional funding to support the festival. He has received $7,000 per year for many years, and asked for an increase to $25,000. With the city willing to spend $350,000 on its own one-day Our Neck of the Woods concert, he felt it was a reasonable request.
However, the city returned with the same $7,000.
The society statement said the city is spending on its own event “while long-standing, community-driven festivals like ours are left to struggle for survival.”
“This imbalance has not only limited our access to public funding, but has also undermined our ability to secure private sponsorships.”
Geese said he needs $80,000 in revenue for the festival, which brings musical acts and a market featuring Caribbean food, clothing, and other goods.
Coquitlam’s Caribbean Days Festival, which will be held July 25-26 at the Coquitlam Town Centre Park, also brought direct competition for the Maple Ridge event in recent years. That event received $90,000 in support from Coquitlam city hall in 2024.
“Coquitlam welcomed them with open arms,” groused Geese.
He said pulling the plug on Tropical Vibes came after “a long, very hard decision.”
Geese started the festival on 224th Street in 2000, just outside his Hagen’s Travel office. It became a summertime staple in Memorial Peace Park for many years, and then parking issues forced a move to Albion Fairgrounds in 2015.
“We are proud of what we built, and grateful to the community, artists, and partners who supported us,” said the statement.
”But it must be said plainly – when funding decisions fail to reflect the full value of cultural events, communities lose more than festivals, they lose identity, opportunity and connection.”
Mayor Dan Ruimy said city staff met with Geese recently, in an effort keep the festival going.
“They tried to find middle ground, and he wasn’t interested,” said Ruimy.
“For 25 years it’s been a festival that’s been part of Maple Ridge’s cultural life, and they’ve been important to the vibrancy of the city,” said the mayor.
“We’re sorry to see them go.”
He said in addition to the $7,000 cash grant, the city offers $11,500 worth of in-kind support to the festival, including city personnel helping with the setup and takedown at the festival site.
Ruimy said there is animosity from some event organizations, over the city spending $350,000 on Our Neck of the Woods, who feel they should get more funding to improve existing shows.
He said in conversations about funding for Tropical Vibes, the city-run festival kept coming up.
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Ruimy defended Our Neck of the Woods, which started as a celebration of the city’s 150th anniversary two years ago, and was so popular the city decided to make it an annual event.
“Every city has their own city-led signature events,” he said. “We see the value – 20,000 people show up downtown.”