Surrey gets a taste of the Juno Awards with free music festival

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 15, 2025 11:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

The Juno Awards whitethorn inactive beryllium weeks away, but Surrey is getting an aboriginal sensation of the excitement with a free, monolithic euphony festival this weekend.

The Let's Hear It B.C. Junos Plaza Party volition instrumentality spot astatine Surrey Civic Plaza connected Saturday, with much than 30 artists crossed six stages from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

This festival is portion of a provincewide circuit starring up to the 2025 Juno Awards, acceptable to beryllium held astatine Vancouver's Rogers Arena connected March 30.

Organizers accidental the extremity is to dispersed the Juno vibes beyond the city's downtown core.

WATCH: Chani Nattan and Inderpal Moga made past with their Juno Award nomination:

"We privation to marque definite that the tone of the grant goes to acold much places," said Neesha Hothi, manager of selling and communications for the Vancouver Juno Host Committee. "And Surrey is 1 of those stops."

The festival's lineup includes 2025 Juno nominees Tyler Joe Miller, Chani Nattan, and Inderpal Moga, arsenic good arsenic Punjabi euphony icon Sarbjit Cheema.

Hothi says Surrey's musicians are making their mark in Canadian music.

"[The city] is booming with artistry close now, particularly from the South Asian euphony scene," she said. "It is the epicentre of that diaspora's euphony country close now, and we truly privation to observe that."

Local Bhangra superstar Jazzy B was nominated for COOLIN with Nattan and Moga for the inaugural South Asian Music Recording of the Year Award.

Country vocalist Miller, a Surrey native, volition besides execute astatine the festival. His medium Going Home is nominated for Country Album of the Year astatine the Junos, marking this his 2nd consecutive nomination. 

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke called the festival a fitting solemnisation of the city's divers euphony scene.

"[It] is the cleanable mode to observe the unthinkable endowment being recognized astatine the 2025 Juno Awards—right present successful the bosom of Surrey," Locke said successful a statement. "With implicit 30 artists representing our divers taste community, this festival volition beryllium a time to retrieve and showcase the unthinkable endowment that Surrey has to offer."

Other performers astatine the lawsuit volition see Shawnee Kish, Brass Camel, Luca Fogale, Fionn, Empanadas Ilegales, and Ginalina, spanning genres from state and popular to people and Punjabi music. 

It volition besides diagnostic an unfastened jam session, a 5X Art Party with South Asian DJs, family-friendly activities, nutrient trucks, and a brew garden. Organizers accidental each show areas are covered oregon indoors, ensuring the lawsuit volition spell connected rainfall oregon shine.

Hothi says the festival is each astir making the Junos accessible to fans crossed the province.

"We cognize that the Junos tin lone hap successful 1 spot," she said. "But that doesn't mean that B.C. isn't wholly afloat of unthinkable music, musicians, and fans."

Other Let's Hear It B.C. stops see Terrace, Prince George, Kelowna, Victoria, and Nanaimo, with Surrey's lawsuit being 1 of the largest.

The lawsuit is escaped and unfastened to each ages.