When it comes to hosting large community events, the last few years in Surrey have been a renaissance of sorts.

On top of the annual Vaisakhi and Children's Festival celebrations, and playing host to one of the Winter Olympic sites in 2010, Surrey's Fusion Festival has proven to be a hit among residents and visitors alike.

And this weekend, the festival will share the stage - literally - with the B.C. Summer Games.

Held in Surrey for the first time since 1989, the B.C. Summer Games will run parallel to the Fusion Festival this weekend.

Taking place in Holland Park Saturday and Sunday, the Fusion Festival will boast a myriad of vendor and participant tents, as well several stages - and it's that main stage the B.C. Summer Games will use for its opening and closing ceremonies today and Sunday.

The co-operation is something Bonnie Burnside, board member of the B.C. Summer Games and Fusion Festival sponsor employee, said is fitting not only for the festival, but also for the games as both will likely see added attendance numbers as a result.

With 2,800 athletes from across the province in town for the games, as well as the many people involved with the Fusion Festival, Burnside said she hopes to see between 8,000 and 9,000 people come out for the games' opening ceremony.

As for the Fusion Festival, last year's event drew about 60,000 people, despite some rainy weather. This year, organizers hope to see that number grow to 75,000.

According to Burnside, the synergistic approach was taken when it was discovered that one of the challenges with hosting the B.C. Summer Games was any venue being used for sports aren't allowed to be used for anything else.

"So when we were looking for somewhere to hold the opening and closing ceremony, we knew Fusion Fest was the same weekend," she said.

"Surrey doesn't have an events centre or anything, so we figured we'd see if we could use the Fusion site and play to our strengths."

Burnside also noted that the festival will take some cues from the games - the 40 countries represented at the festival are encouraged to present a sporting element this year.

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts said holding the Fusion Festival on the same weekend as the B.C. Summer Games allows both events to build off of one another.

"What we wanted to do was also give the opportunity to the athletes that were here to really enjoy the Fusion Festival and participate as much as they could," she said.

"It's going to be a great weekend for Surrey and we're really looking forward to it."

Watch thenownewspaper.com for more on these events.

FUSION FESTIVAL

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