Come Toward the Fire Festival 2026

Musqueam and the Chan Centre present the 5th annual ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl Come Toward the Fire Festival the weekend of September 18-20, 2026. Join this celebration of Indigenous cultures, creativity, and community at venues across the UBC campus, on unceded Musqueam territory. 

ʔəm̓i ce:p xwiwəl Come Toward the Fire Festival

• When: September 18-20, 2026
• Where: Participating venues include the Chan Centre, Museum of Anthropology, Belkin Gallery, UBC First Nations House of Learning, and the UBC Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre.
• Admission: Free on Friday. Admission by donation / pay what you can with wristband purchase Saturday. Tickets are required for the finale show on Sunday ($79 Premium / $49 Regular / $29 Indigenous/Student).

Named BC Live’s 2025 Festival of the Year, this year’s ʔəm̓i ce:p xwiwəl – Come Toward the Fire reaches a new milestone with its most expansive edition yet, growing to three days for the first time and adding a dedicated Day of Knowledge Sharing to a weekend program of live music, dance, film, storytelling, and an Indigenous artisan market.

Inaugurated in 2022, the festival’s name was gifted by Musqueam elder and language keeper Larry Grant, with special thanks to Musqueam artist Christie Lee Charles. With an aim to amplify Indigenous voices and create a vibrant space to celebrate Indigenous creativity, brilliance, and culture, the name suggests a movement of returning Indigenous voices to the forefront, back to the heart of the community.

The festival begins Friday, September 18 with a free Day of Knowledge Sharing from 12:30-4:30pm that will include an opening welcome from Musqueam, special performances from Coastal Wolf Pack and Cree/Métis folk trio Burnstick, followed by workshops, cultural tours, film screenings, video art, an Indigenous artisan market, artist roundtables and learning discussions at venues across the UBC campus.

The festival continues Saturday, September 19 with a full day of family-friendly programming at outdoor and indoor venues at the Chan Centre from 12:00pm to 6:00pm, featuring live music, dance, DJs, film screenings, including a screening of Gord Downie’s The Secret Path, hands-on workshops, storytellers and authors, food trucks, an Indigenous artisan market, skateboarding, live mural painting, and more. Admission by donation / pay what you can with wristband purchase.

The daytime performance lineup, on Saturday, September 19, features the Vancouver debuts of Cree neosoul/R&B artist and rising TikTok star LOV, who recently released her debut album, Iskwew, and Cherokee/Muscogee folk/Americana artist Kayln Fay, who will be performing from their recently released third album, Garden. The lineup also includes Burnstick, Francis Baptiste, Caley Watts, G̱a̱mksimoon, Curtis Clear Sky and the Constellationz, Joey Stylez, Semiah, and Eagle Ex Machina.

The festival will close on Sunday, September 20 with a mainstage concert at the Chan Centre, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, hosted by Dakota/Diné actor, comedian, and activist Dallas Goldtooth, widely known for his role in Reservation Dogs, and headlined by two-time JUNO Award-winning Oji-Cree singer-songwriter Aysanabee.

The ticketed concert will also feature Boslen, Logan Staats, Miss Christie Lee, Coastal Wolf Pack, and the Vancouver debut of Cree pop singer Siibii.

“Musqueam is honoured to continue our partnership with The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts as we welcome the return of ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl – Come Toward the Fire,” says Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow. “As the host Nation, it is deeply meaningful for us to support a gathering that celebrates Indigenous creativity, storytelling, and the living cultures of Indigenous Peoples from across these lands. This festival creates space for Indigenous voices to be seen, heard, and celebrated. We thank the Chan Centre for their continued commitment to this partnership and for helping create opportunities for cultural exchange, learning, and connection for all who attend.”

For more information and updates on the Festival, follow the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on Facebook and Instagram.

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