About Us
Honk! represents a tradition of activist brass bands and drum lines coming together to build momentum for social change and to bring people from all over together. As long time participants of Honks! in Boston, Austin, Seattle and beyond, the Open Air Orchestra Society decided to throw our hat in the ring and host the first Canadian version of the festival. Come One, Come All!
2023 Festival
The 2023 edition of HONK! BC will feature a diverse lineup of brass bands from Vancouver and beyond!
If your band would like to attend, let’s talk!
Host Bands
Local Bands
- To be announced
International Bands
- To be announced
Past Festivals
HONK! BC was founded in 2018 as the first festival of activist street bands in Canada! Here’s a list of the bands all across North America who have joined us in the past.
2022 Festival
- July 15 - 17, 2022
- Bands featured:
- The Carnival Band
- Greenhorn
- False Creek Flats (Vancouver, BC)
- Legion of Flying Monkeys (Vancouver, BC)
- Balkan Shmalkan (Vancouver, BC)
- Bloco Energia (Vancouver, BC)
2019 Festival
- August 9 - 11, 2019
- Bands featured:
- The Carnival Band
- Greenhorn
- Balkan Shmalkan
- Rise Up! Action Band (Seattle, WA)
- Noxious Obs Society (New Westminster, BC)
- Quinta Kalavera (Guadalajara, Mexico)
- Artesian Rumble Arkestra (Olympia, WA)
- Trash Talk (Seattle, WA)
2018 Festival
- August 8 - 10, 2018
- Bands featured:
- The Carnival Band
- Greenhorn
- Balkan Shmalkan
- Bloco Energia
- Rise Up! Action Band
- Filthy Femcorps (Seattle, WA)
- Home Going Brass Band (Vancouver, BC)
- Freddy Fuddpucker (North Vancouver, BC)