
Image: M-J Milloy
Where is the heart of Vancouver? The living, beating nucleus of this fair town is Downtown Eastside, a neighbourhood that encompasses Gastown, Victory Square, Chinatown, the Main and Hastings corridors, Japantown, Oppenheimer and Strathcona. The Downtown Eastside is where Vancouver began, and the 8th annual Heart of the City Festival, Oct. 26 to Nov. 6, is a series of events that pay tribute to the neighbourhood’s past and present.
The first residents were the ancestors of Coast Salish people who still reside in the DTES today. For the last 125 years, immigrants of all nationalities have settled in this space making it Vancouver’s most diverse neighbourhood. Far from static, the Vancouver’s heart has shape-shifted from entertainment/shopping centre to skid row to hipster magnet with serious affordable housing issues.
The Heart of the City Festival tells these stories with music, dancing, art and history. There are over 100 events in the festival offerings this year. Here are some you won’t want to miss. Continue reading:
DTES Heart of the City Festival October 26 – November 6