Queen West BIA

Queen Street West knows how to throw a party, and this one had a fitting send-off theme. The Final Kick Block Party marked the end of Toronto’s run hosting World Cup matches this summer, and our Toronto West team was there to help close it out in style.

Hosted by Queen Street West BIA at 15 Denison Ave, the block party turned a parking lot into a full-blown street festival. Local vendors lined the space, food trucks kept the lineups moving, and a beer garden gave everyone a spot to cool off in the summer heat. Live music from the Drom Artist Collective carried through the evening, mixing world bands, DJ sets, and performances that matched the international spirit of the World Cup send-off.

For us, the highlight was sponsoring a live mural painting by @rudjer. There’s something fitting about a graffiti removal company sponsoring live art in a neighbourhood built around it. Queen West’s laneways are some of the most celebrated street art in the city, and events like this are a reminder of what that art can be when it’s wanted, invited, and given space to happen. That’s the same line we walk every day: protecting the walls people love and clearing the ones that get hit without permission.

Watching @rudjer work a blank wall into a finished piece over the course of the night, surrounded by music, food, and a packed crowd, was the kind of event that reminds you why we do what we do in these communities. Queen West is one of the neighbourhoods our Toronto West crews service regularly, so getting to show up for a celebration instead of a cleanup made for a great night out.

Thanks to Queen Street West BIA for having us. We’re looking forward to the next one.