BC Day Long Weekend includes a FREE Japanese Culture and Food Festival

powell street festival vancouver 2018

Katari Taiko at the Powell Street Festival Photo credit: [stu-di-o] by jeanie

In a BC Day Long Weekend packed full of major events, including the Pride Festival and the Celebration of Light, the Powell Street Festival might get overlooked. However, the Powell Street Festival is actually the largest event of its kind in Canada and the longest running community arts festival in the Lower Mainland – since 1977.

This free, family-friendly event is held both indoors and out around the Powell Street area within Vancouver’s historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood, on the traditional unceded territories of the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil- Waututh First Nations. Influenced by typical Japanese summer festivals or matsuri, PSF has developed into a unique Vancouver event. Over the course of the 2-day event, nearly 17,500 people participate in the event.

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BC Day Long Weekend includes a FREE Japanese Culture and Food Festival

Highlights of this weekend’s annual Vancouver celebration of Japanese culture

Koto player Miyama McQueen-Tokita performs with Chordophone at this year's Powell Street Festival.

Koto player Miyama McQueen-Tokita performs with Chordophone at this year’s Powell Street Festival.

Every summer, Canada’s largest celebration of Japanese Canadian arts and culture held in Vancouver’s historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood. The annual Powell Street Festival features live music, Japanese food, sumo wrestling, martial arts, dance, film, crafts, theatre, Taiko drumming, anime and children’s activities – all free.

This year, the festival takes place July 30-31, from 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. at Oppenheimer Park (400 Block, Powell Street), as well as participating venues Firehall Arts Centre (280 East Cordova Street), Vancouver Japanese Language School (475 Alexander St), and Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue). See some highlights below.

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Highlights of this weekend’s annual Vancouver celebration of Japanese culture