Ray GRacewood 

President, AREA 506 Ventures, NB, Canada

Builder of brands, connector of people, life-giver to ideas, challenger of challenges. Over the past fifteen years, Ray Gracewood has focused his attention on building national brands in exciting consumer-focused industries, ideating and executing on world class events, and changing the way people feel about his home province of New Brunswick.

If you’ve cracked open an ice-cold Moosehead Radler around the world, attended AREA 506 in New Brunswick, or enjoyed the safety and consistency of legalized cannabis with Edison Cannabis Co. products across Canada, Ray’s has worked his way into your hearts, minds and wallets.

Starting as a passion project from a love of music, culture and local products - Ray is the founder and chairperson of AREA 506, a festival of music, culture and goods on the Saint John Waterfront. Since 2016, AREA 506 has grown to become a marquee celebration of our province including a remarkable shipping container village on the Saint John Waterfront featuring such acts as Interpol, Arkells, July Talk, Tegan & Sara, Strumbellas and Wintersleep.  In 2022, Ray and his team evolved the AREA 506 project into one of the most unique visitor experiences in Canada by opening the AREA 506 Waterfront Container Village.  This project reimagines what it is to be a Port City, and creates an incredible experience for local residents, tourists and visiting cruise passengers featuring 54 shipping containers, an incredible multi-tiered viewing deck, stage, vendor locations, food trucks, graffiti alley and more – right on the beautiful waterfront in Saint John, New Brunswick. 

Ray is a proud New Brunswicker currently living in Quispamsis, NB with his wife, four kids, two dogs, and hundreds of vinyl records.  Ray graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of New Brunswick.

Email: ray@area506.ca