Events I play for
- Fundraiser dinners and dances
- Canada Day and summer park events
- Block parties and neighbourhood socials
- Sports club banquets and year-end parties
- Seniors’ dances and community hall socials
Community event DJ
on Vancouver Island
Fundraisers, block parties and hall dances across Vancouver Island, indoors or out, with music planned for an open, all-ages crowd.
Community Events
Community events are open to everyone, which makes them different from almost any other booking. The crowd changes through the day, families wander past with strollers, the schedule is full of welcomes and draws, and the music has to suit a seven-year-old and a seventy-year-old at the same time.
I’m Ryan, and Rise Entertainment is a one-person business. If your society, club, parent group or town committee books me, I’m the one you plan with and the one who plays on the day, from a hall fundraiser in Duncan to a summer event in Ucluelet.
Music for an all-ages, drop-in crowd
At a public event you rarely have the same audience for more than an hour. Daytime crowds tend to be families, so the music leans upbeat and familiar. Later in the day, or at an evening dance, the mix can move toward whatever gets that particular crowd moving.
I’ll ask who your event usually draws, whether there are local or cultural songs that belong in the day, and whether your organization has guidelines for the music.
Outdoor power, weather and site layout
Outdoor events on Vancouver Island need a plan for the weather, even in July. Ask whether there’s a covered or shaded spot for the music in case a shower rolls in or the afternoon sun is strong. Wind off the water on the West Coast or along the Comox waterfront is worth thinking about too.
Power is worth sorting out early, including whether coffee urns, food trucks or inflatables will share the same circuit. When you check your date I’ll ask where the nearest power source is, how far it is from the music area, and who on site can help if a breaker goes.
Schedules, announcements and permits
Most community events run to a schedule: an opening welcome, a raffle draw, a performance from a local group, a thank-you to sponsors. Send me the schedule ahead of time so the music stops and starts at the right moments, and let me know whether you’d like me to MC and make the announcements or hand the microphone to someone from your group, so each handover is planned.
Park bookings and event permits sometimes come with conditions on sound or end times. Those details come from your municipality or venue, so check them when you apply and pass them on to me.
What to send when you get in touch
A few details up front make it quicker to confirm your date:
- The date, start time and end time
- The location, and whether it’s indoors or outdoors
- Expected crowd size and age range
- Your schedule, even a rough one
- Power and cover details for outdoor sites
- Any sound or time conditions from your permit
Pricing
Community event
pricing.
Community event
By quote
Priced for your event
- No set list price: every event is quoted on its own
- The quote depends on your date, site, crowd and hours of music
- Music planned with the organizers
- Request and do-not-play lists
Reviews
What people
say.
“We reached out to Ryan quite some time before our wedding, and he stayed connected with us the whole way through with messages and a coffee meetup to make sure all was prepared before the big day. When it came, Ryan showed up on time and professionally set up his table and speakers with no issues, all while looking sharp and formal. He got the dance floor fired up and nailed every song for the first dance. The day couldn’t have gone any smoother, and Ryan played a big role. We can’t thank Ryan enough and highly recommend him for your wedding.”
Jacob & Jaclyn R.Weddings
“We hired Ryan as our wedding DJ and he completely exceeded our expectations. From the moment he arrived he was professional and easy to work with. He kept the dance floor full at night and everyone was loving the songs. He read the room really well and mixed in a great balance of classic favourites and newer tracks that both our friends and family loved. We also asked him to make announcements during the night, and he had an excellent speaking voice doing so! If you’re looking for a DJ who can keep the party going and also make the formal parts of the evening feel special, Ryan is an excellent choice. Highly recommend!”
RyanWeddings
FAQ
Community Events:
common questions.
Can you DJ an outdoor community event, like a park day or block party?
It depends on the site. The main questions are where the music will be set up, what power is available close by, and what cover there is if it rains or the sun is strong. I’ll ask about each of these and confirm whether the site works, so nothing is being worked out on the morning of the event.
Will the music be family-friendly?
Tell me who your event draws and any guidelines your organization has, and I’ll plan the music to suit them, including whether you want clean versions only. If your event has a later adults-only part, like an evening dance after a family afternoon, tell me and the mix can change at that point.
Can the music work around speeches, draws and performances?
Yes. Send me your schedule and I’ll plan breaks for welcomes, raffle draws, auctions, sponsor thank-yous and any live performances. A microphone for anyone speaking is part of my setup.
Our event is run by volunteers. How much planning is involved?
Community events are often run by volunteers with limited time, so planning doesn’t need to take much of it. A copy of your schedule and a short list of must-play and do-not-play songs are the main things I need. Pricing for your event is covered in your quote.
How far will you travel for a community event?
Anywhere on Vancouver Island. That includes Victoria, Langford, Duncan, the Cowichan Valley, Lake Cowichan, Nanaimo, Comox, Tofino and Ucluelet, plus the smaller communities in between. Travel details are part of your quote.
Contact Ryan
Organizing
a community event?
Send me the date, location and a rough schedule, and I’ll let you know if I’m free.