CID Block Party is a grassroots, non-profit festival, run by local and voluntary forces. The festival is a one-day music and art event, which is held every year in August. At the Chinatown-International District Block Party, musicians, artists and locals are invited to help create life under the i-5 freeway.
Since 2016, the festival has transformed the barren, paved landscape under the i-5 freeway into a cultural hub on the border between 8th Ave S and 10th Ave S on S King St. The festival adds color to the gray concrete with music from the underground, quirky activities, art installations and much more to nuance and transform the urban space. CID Block Party is organized and run by young, passionate volunteers, in collaboration with the SCIDpda and InterImCDA, each of whom is passionate about creating change through innovative cultural initiatives.
The purpose of the festival is to bring people closer together and give the area under the i-5 a new meaning. In addition, the purpose of the festival is to be a springboard for upcoming artists as well as new entrepreneurs. We want to engage and activate locals to participate in the development of the festival, but also in the development of the urban space.
In 2016, 6 friends joined forces to create the first Chinatown-ID Block Party. The wish was to transform the abandoned car park under the arch into a place where people will meet for music and activities. It turned into a small stage, 6 artists, mini market and 400 attendees. Over time, the CID Block Party has grown bigger, year by year. In 2019, CID Block Party welcomed 4,000 guests for one day with various artists and a program packed with activities.
2022
Music
CHYL • DJ IVY • ACCIA • SHARADAWN • novel natura • thycups
Activities
SAAFF Movie Night • CIDBIA Food Walk • Live Art by Sony • Hood Famous Cafe + Bar Beer Garden **cancelled**
2019
Music
Kronika (Soulection) • Prometheus Brown • Bambu • Chong the Nomad • Yung Strong b2b DJ Houseplants • Hosted by Sendai Era
Activities
Bar Crawl • Namsayin Car Show • Dynasty Room Beer Garden
2016
Music
Awkwafina • Shawn Wasabi • Kero One • Tomo Nakayama • Sendai Era • Tele Fresco hosted by Hollis Wong-Wear
Vendors
Food Truck
Behind CIDBP
We are a network / organizing coalition of young, progressive Asian and Pacific American organizers, activists, nonprofit workers, and leaders seeking to build and change community through art, history, business, and social justice using music as a common ground to build connections.
Please help keep it clean.
Please support local business.
Please respect people and property.
Please report suspicious activity.
Please treat each other with kindness.
Thank you to ALL our volunteers, sponsors, and participants.
Pillars of community building
We believe that knowing our past is integral to building our futures and that learning from and about our histories will raise a generation of well-informed, well-equipped leaders in our communities.
We believe that expression is vital to the health of a community and that supporting young artists in their crafts builds a more vibrant and engaging future.
We believe that local economies are necessary infrastructures for our communities and that supporting local Asian American Pacific Islander owned businesses leads to stronger neighborhoods and more compassionate neighbors.
We believe that we have the power to shift policy and societal attitudes towards progressive change and that we have a responsibility to mobilize for more equitable communities.