Record crowds expected at Recovery Day BC in New Westminster Saturday
Posted September 9, 2023 10:31 am.
Last Updated September 9, 2023 11:13 am.
Record crowds are expected at this year’s annual Recovery Day BC Festival in New Westminster Saturday, with organizers saying they expect to surpass last year’s total of 50,000 attendees.
The event, billed as North America’s largest addiction and mental health recovery festival, centres around health and overcoming addictions.
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Nirmala Raniga, founder of the Paradise Valley Healing Centre, says everyone is encouraged to visit.
“People just come out to be part of that community, really to empower and support the recovery process, because recovery takes a lot of effort, and we need to be continuing to support those in recovery,” she said. “We need more compassion, we need to get educated, we need to build the awareness that it does work.”
She says all levels of government need to work together on the urgent need for more mental-health supports as people suffer across the country.
The first-ever Recovery Day took place in 2012 in downtown Vancouver.
This year’s festival takes place at 6th Ave. and 6th Street in New Westminster and will feature a free concert by Canadian band Glass Tiger.
