It’s that time again for the Annual Hug Flash Mob! Each year we gather as many friendly people as possible into a flash mob that showers the public with free hugs! Last year it was at the Khatsahlano Street Party and the response couldn’t have been better. The conditions are perfect with a steady flow of people walking right into our open arms. We’ll also be drawing a large chalk “hug zone” so that people know that something special is happening, so even if you’re not a hugger, join us and draw with chalk like you’re a little kid again.

Never given out free hugs before? Check out http://www.improvanywhere.ca/freehugs.html to learn all about it, then just show up with open arms and a smile and that’s all there is to it! Meet us right at 10:45am and help us set up and start drawing, or feel free to come later and join us at any point. Wear a “free hugs” shirt or even a onesie (check out http://hugsarenice.com/shop for some cool stuff), or just bring your smile and we’ll have extra colorful “free hugs” signs for you to use.

This hugging event is totally free, it takes no preparation, and it requires no commitment whatsoever. Give it a shot and feel free to leave at any time if it’s not for you, but just so you know, you’ll likely find yourself hooked within minutes and you won’t want to leave even after everyone else is gone.

The Khatsahlano Street Party can be a little crazy, but luckily we’ve figured out a great way to organize and keep it all casual. We’ll be meeting up in a quiet spot in front of the Fifth Avenue Cinemas at 2110 Burrard St (they have a convenient parking garage if you need it), then we’ll head two blocks to the start of the festival at West 4th Avenue and Burrard Street. We’ll then scope out the vibe and pick a good central location for the hug zone, start drawing, and then start hugging!

Here are some videos of past Vancouver hug events to get your juices flowing:

Share this event and your photos on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter with the hashtags #FreeHugsYVR and #hugsarenice

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