Red leaf shiso mochi. Photo credit: Flickr user Rubber Slippers in Italy

Powell Street Festival, a celebration of Japanese Canadian culture, arts and heritage, is back for its 36th year,  August 4 -5, in East Van’s Oppenheimer Park. The 2012 theme is Big Banzai, an adaption of a battle cry and a heartfelt shout out to Vancouver’s Japanese Canadian community.

This year, Powell Street Festival takes place on the same day as the Celebration of Light finale, enabling revelers to spend the day watching Sumo demonstrations and gorging on Japanese food before the last night of fireworks, August 4.

This hotly-anticipated summer festival is a free, family-friendly event. Get the scoop on the show schedule, kids activities and food vendors after the jump.

For more info on August Long Weekend events in Vancouver, check out our handy list. Continue reading:
Banzai! Powell Street Festival This Weekend, August 4-5