Circles Festival – Indigenous Art & Music Festival at Sunset Beach

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The Circles Festival happening August 26th at Sunset Beach features a talented selection of Indigenous performers, an Indigenous marketplace, traditional foods, youth workshop, children’s play area and so much more!

Circles Festival
Indigenous Art & Music Festival

Presented by Decolonial Clothing and ALIVE Society (Aboriginal Life in Vancouver Enhancement Society), the groundbreaking event made history with 4,000 attendees in its first year, and Circles Festival is now the largest Indigenous music and arts festival across Turtle Island.

“Often, Indigenous people don’t have safe spaces for our creative expression. We are building those safe spaces, we are grassroots, and doing the groundwork needed to bring healing to our community,” says award-winning hip-hop artist, activist and entrepreneur, Dakota Bear. “Music is a vehicle to drive our messages and amplify our voices, music is a universal language that brings people together. We will continue to build off the strength of our ancestors, and bring our truths to light and use our platforms to fight for justice.”

Circles Festival 2023

Performance and Presenter Lineup

Opening ceremony by Audrey Siegl, hosted by Casey Desjarlais.

Performances by Boslen, Drezus, Dakota Bear, Fawn Wood, Notorious Cree, Hayley Wallis, North$ide Baby, SouFy, Dem Rosé Boys, DJ Nyla, JAYMAK, Lil Smudgin, YB Nakota, Pisim. Featuring a fashion show by Decolonial Clothing and Native by Nature.

There will be youth workshops with LBHS & Nations Skate Youth, and a showcase with TALON & Dushine of Raycam.

VIP tickets include meet and greets with headlining artists, exclusive festival merch shirt and poster, swag bags, access to the VIP area right by the stage, food and snacks, private washrooms and entrance, and more.

Update: Wildfire Relief Fundraiser

Nations Skate Youth will be selling t-shirts for $40, on-site at the festival. “ALL proceeds are going towards NWT and the local communities we lost due to the on going fires.”

Follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram for more info and updates.

Punjabi Market Live in Vancouver

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Celebrate the tastes and sounds of South Asian culture with Punjabi Market Live, a huge outdoor street party happening August 27th in the heart of Vancouver’s Punjabi Market. The event showcases the spirit of multiculturalism and diversity with live performances, DJ’s, dance, music, fashion, food, visual art and more.

Punjabi Market Live in Vancouver

  • When: Sunday, August 27, 2023 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm
  • Where: Main Street between 49th and 51st Ave
  • Admission: Free!

In partnership with the Punjabi Market Collective, the Monsoon Festival of Performing Arts is bringing dance, music, visual art, cuisine, fashion, and more to Main St between 49th & 51st Ave for this outdoor street celebration.

Hosted by CBC’s Baneet Braich, Punjabi Market Live will feature Internationally renowned DJ’s spinning the sounds, performances by Canadian Artist and composer Cinnamon Sandhu, multi award winning music producer and artist Pav Dharia and the soulful sounds of rising star Gurtêj aka NY Virtuoso.

A new addition this year is The Vancouver Canucks and Warriors Kids Zone, a place where families can connect. Fin the Canucks mascot will be on hand to take pictures behind the blue, green and white inflatable. There will be arts and crafts, face painting, and Vancouver Warriors lacrosse will have a net set up to practise your shots. 

Shops along the corridor will be open and foodies will fill their appetites with traditional dishes from local restaurants. Food trucks will also be on site and there will be free chai and jalebis, a favourite Indian sweet available for all to enjoy.  

Visit the website for the full event lineup.

The Punjabi Market Collective is a group of passionate advocates, artists, students and entrepreneurs who are working towards revitalizing Vancouver’s historic Punjabi Market by beautifying the market, developing and promoting businesses and creating a hub for arts and culture.

The 8th annual Monsoon Festival of the Performing Arts, presented by the South Asian Arts Society, runs August 17- 31, 2023. It has become the place for art and culture enthusiasts, attracting generations of families and friends who gather each year to celebrate South Asian culture through diverse and exciting programming.

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Food for Thought – Meeting the Nutritional Needs of Youth at Covenant House

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The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver (“CHV”). Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV. This month’s post has been written by Jason Bosher.

Covenant House – Food for Thought

Covenant House Rights of Passage - Photo Submitted
Covenant House Rights of Passage – Photo Submitted

Nutrition and Cognition

Your brain is always on and consumes an incredible amount of energy, compared to the rest of your body. We receive energy from the foods that we eat. What you eat can affect how you think. “Dietary factors can affect multiple brain processes by regulating neurotransmitter pathways, synaptic
transmission, membrane fluidity and signal-transduction pathways.”

Foods like salmon, kiwi, and citrus fruits enhance cognition, whereas foods high in saturated fat and sucrose can reduce cognitive performance. Diets high in refined sugars negatively affect the regulation of insulin, as well as promoting inflammation and oxidative stress. Those diets can also worsen the symptoms of mood disorders, like depression.

Vulnerable Youth and Nutrition

A study conducted on Toronto’s homeless youth population found that youth facing homelessness were nutritionally vulnerable. Being nutritionally vulnerable has significant ramifications including: poor health, which is a barrier to obtaining and maintaining employment; possible impairment of cognitive and physiological functions; and exacerbation of depression and substance use.

Why are homeless youth nutritionally vulnerable? In a word — barriers.

Financial barriers: Nutritious food is prohibitively expensive. Many youth have to use all of their financial resources to stay in an SRO, which results in little or no money for food. Many SROs do not have fridges, or allow any kind of cooking (for fire safety reasons).

Storage barriers: Many youth do not have refrigeration facilities available for milk and other perishables. If youth are living on the street, they have no storage facilities. A lack of fruit, vegetables, dairy, and protein can contribute to food insecurity. Some services only provide food that requires the use of kitchen facilities.

The rising costs of food makes it even harder for vulnerable youth to attain foods that support their nutritional needs. Many youth show up to Covenant House Vancouver malnourished.

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6 Wineries to Visit in Abbotsford

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These Abbotsford wineries are serving up the best of the season at their vineyards, farms, and tasting rooms. Sip locally-crafted wines and spirits surrounded by green vineyards and floral gardens, the perfect backdrop to a summer wine tasting.

Cannon Estate Winery - Tourism Abbotsford Photo
Cannon Estate Winery – Tourism Abbotsford Photo

Abbotsford Wineries to Visit This Summer

Enjoy refreshing whites and fruity reds under blue skies in the Fraser Valley at these local wineries. Hours may vary so be sure to visit their websites for the most up-to-date info:

Cannon Estate Winery
30523 Burgess Ave, Abbotsford
New kids on the block, with a lot of depth! The Cannon Estate Winery vineyard was first planted in 2018 and the first harvest was in 2021. Today, approximately 12.4 of the 20 acre property are under vine with 16 varietals planted on 23 different plots. Dedicated to showcasing how exceptional the Fraser Valley is for producing great wines, be sure to sip their signature Wick wines which blend old and new world methods.

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Weekend Events in Vancouver Things to do August 11-13, 2023

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

This weekend Miss604 is proud to sponsor a handful of FREE events including: Vancouver Salsa Cruise (Saturday); Burnaby Summer Stages (Friday); Burnaby Summer Cinema (Friday); Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival (Saturday); and Summer at Burnaby Village Museum (all weekend). Find these and many more things to do around Vancouver this weekend listed below:

Friday, August 11, 2023 | Saturday, August 12, 2023 | Sunday, August 13, 2023

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend

Weekend Events in Vancouver
Things to do August 11-13, 2023

Friday, August 11, 2023

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