When we last checked in on the Trinity Bellwoods Block Party it was the most happening place to be on Facebook for reasons that no one was entirely sure of. After spawning a multitude of copycat block party events and parodies such as the underground event of the season, the Toronto Sewer Block Party, official news from the TBBP organizers has finally arrived.
A press release from Karl Bechmann and Joe Cornfield states that it has morphed into a Bait & Switch for a Good Cause. Instead of the raging Trinity Bellwoods coup that was anticipated, it will instead be a fundraiser at 99 Sudbury for the David Suzuki Foundation’s Homegrown National Park Project. Of course using a term like the ol bait n switch isnt convincing the public that they aren’t being tricked… again.
Bechmann and Cornfield claim they started the event as a social experiment to emulate the other massive Toronto events they saw popping up before they completely forgot about it.
We had no intention of ever producing an actual event, and to be honest we didn’t think our event would reach more than a few hundred people, Cornfield says.
Fearing the prospect of 30,000 people crashing Bellwoods like an out-of-control house party, Bechmann and Cornfield knew they didn’t want to be held accountable for creating such a monster. We had a decision to make: Either cancel the Facebook event, or use it as a platform to do something else.
And so the event is now being called the misleading mouthful Trinity Bellwoods Block Party in Support of Homegrown National Parks Project, but it no longer has any of the features which made the first event garner so much momentum: it is no longer in Trinity Bellwoods and it is no longer free.
To attend the latest incarnation at 99 Sudbury (a warehouse space that has hosted events for guests such as Google, Lady Gaga, Benicio Del Toro and Q-Tip) the first 1100 guests can purchase tickets for a minimum donation of $20 to the Tilt campaign page. The organizers seem confident that the original Facebook events guest list is some sort of legally binding contract that will guarantee them the same turnout, but inevitably they will be disappointed on July 5.
The issue with this turn of events has nothing to do with the cause, and the goal of the Homegrown National Parks Project to create a green corridor of community gardens snaking through the former path of Garrison Creek is worthwhile and commendable. However, suddenly changing a vague outdoor event that no one took seriously into an even vaguer indoor event with a loose association with Trinity Bellwoods is just bad marketing.
Plus, the organizers still cant seem to lock down a discernible appeal for the event, with the fundraiser lacking any details besides a promised lineup of live music, food and drinks and local vendors.
So not only does this have nothing to do with hanging out in the park anymore, such vagabond-like behaviour is even been discouraged as the edited Facebook page now reads This event is not at Trinity Bellwoods Park. We do not condone any gathering in the park on Sunday July 5th. Please respect this invaluable community space.
Luckily for everyone who does enjoy spending time in the park, Trinity Bellwoods is open 24 hours, seven days a week, and as usual, no one can tell you when or when not to hang there.
If youd like to help the Homegrown National Parks Project without spending a summer day in a space thats best used for techno parties, then you can find out more here.
You could even do so from Bellwoods if you please.
website@nowtoronto.com | @aidanJ4U
