A Block Party in Victoria, BC

The Block Party, in Fairfield district, comes to life with street hockey

To much shouting and hooting a goal is scored

The father and son duo, with Ewan left and Ryan right, strike a hockey pose

Street hockey still life

Neighbours by the body outline station

Body outline station right on the street

To end it all, a tasty potluck dinner that really neighbours together.

Isla with face paint

THE BLOCK PARTY was in Victoria's Fairfield district. I had just arrived from Vancouver and was visiting my friends Ryan and Elizabeth and their children Isla and Ewan. After settling in, I tagged along with them to the festivities. On this warm September afternoon, the event opened to much shouting and hooting, as children and grownups played street hockey. Sticks clashed and the ball shot back and forth, while elsewhere, other neighbours were lying on the street and having chalk outlines drawn around their bodies. Further along was a little face-painting table too. Finally, all this culminated with a call to eat. A long table against the curb was soon laden with food from the surrounding households, in classic potluck style, which included everything from little crab cakes to homemade blackberry pie.