The 47th annual Powell Street Festival is a free two day celebration of Japanese Canadian arts and culture happening this August. Oppenheimer Park and surrounding areas will host a variety of entertainment for all ages, live performances, food options, and a craft marketplace all mixed with traditional elements.
Powell Street Festival 2023
When: August 5 and 6, 2023 from 11:30am to 7:00pm
Where: Oppenheimer Park 400-block Powell Street at Jackson Ave
Admission: Free!
Catch any of the 35 live performances scheduled on three festival stages from local, national, and international artist. Experience Daikagura, a rare 1000-year-old art form with ceremony and juggling, performed by Michiyo Kagami. Witness the resurrection of Okuni, the 17th-century cis-female founder of kabuki, reimagined in a multidisciplinary dance by Aretha Aoki and Ryan MacDonald. Dance along to EPITHYMiA, an up-and-coming J-pop dance and vocal group from Japan and even more performances to delight attendees.
This year’s festival features panels, workshops, walking tours, martial arts demonstrations, a Sumo tournament, and more exciting event. In between happenings, wander around Paueru Gai, stop in on beloved Powell Street Festival favourites including a community Japanese food and handmade crafts marketplace, an interactive zone, children’s activities, and the Festival Lottery.
And you don’t even have to wait until August to join the fun as festival vibes reverberate through partnerships new and renewed across the city starting in July: Jump into the festival spirit and learn the Paueru Mashup Dance alongside talented instructors through free lessons Tuesdays in July in Oppenheimer Park. Strike a pose in the ballroom scene at the Van Vogue Jam’s Posh Ball on July 28 and learn about the myth behind the star festival tanabata at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre’s family friendly presentation on August 4.
Friends from afar can join in too, with a special two-hour Festival Connect Online Live Stream on Saturday, August 5 at 12:30pm on the Powell Street Festival Society website and YouTube channel.
Visit the Powell Street Festival Society on Facebook for more info.
BC’s capital city is known for its history, lush gardens, gorgeous coastal landscapes, and its teas (Afternoon, High, or otherwise). During my latest visit I wanted to experience the city a bit differently and combine all of “classic Victoria” with the latest vegan eats, from the Frickin Delights donuts I see my friend Keira posting on Instagram to everything else I could get my fork into. Thanks to Keira, and Destination Victoria, my mission was a sweet success:
Vegan Eats in Victoria
Now I won’t list off every single place with vegan options, since you can use a handy app like Happy Cow for that, but I will entice you with some of the treats I savoured with great enthusiasm:
I will go on record and state this is my new favourite Afternoon Tea experience in Victoria. The gardens at Huntingdon Manor / Pendray Inn & Teahouse (309 Belleville St) are stunning, with mile-high hollyhocks, peachy roses, and bees buzzing from flower to flower across the lawn that overlooks the inner harbour. On the porch, we savoured pots of Silk Road’s Angel Water Tea as we made our way through three tiers of teatime treats.
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.
Harm Reduction Facts and Stigma
Harm reduction: a phrase that you may have heard about in the media. It can be a controversial and loaded topic, one that has grandiose misconceptions associated with it. Covenant House Vancouver believes that harm reduction is not about enabling people to continue to do drugs. Harm reduction is about emotional intelligence and a set of principles that is based on humanizing and caring for everyone. It is about building safe and trusting relationships, reducing stigma, and ultimately, and most importantly, it is about saving lives.
Looking for a summer refresh on your go-to restaurants and activities? Look no further! We have curated a list of our current culinary favourites and notable limited edition menus, into one convenient spot for this month’s Vancouver Foodie Friday feature. For July, we are fully diving into the best summer finds:
Ask for Luigi – Photo Submitted
Vancouver Foodie Friday – In the Swing of Summer
Ask for Luigi Named Among Best Italian Restaurants in the World
Where: 305 Alexander St., Vancouver
Details: Ask for Luigi has been recognized as one of the world’s top Italian restaurants by Gambero Rosso, a leading authority on Italian food and wine! It is just one of seven restaurants in Vancouver to be awarded in the prestigious Top Italian Restaurants international guidebook. Located in the heart of Vancouver’s Railtown, Ask for Luigi specializes in fresh, handmade pasta and family-style dishes designed to share, complemented by an extensive Italian wine list with an emphasis on small producers and unique, indigenous varieties. Reserve a table for your next date night here.
The Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival (previously named Vancouver Bach Festival) brings together more than 60 artists from around the globe and includes one special event and 11 concerts, including one by donation concert at St. James Community Square.
Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival
When: July 27 to August 5, 2023
Where: Various venues including SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Christ Church Cathedral, Pyatt Hall, The Orpheum Annex, West Vancouver United Church, and St. James Community Square
The theme of the 2023 Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival is WOMENinSIGHT – celebrating women composers, librettists, and performers of the past and present. Inspired by Christine de Pizan (1364-ca.1430) – the revolutionary writer who questioned the centuries-old treatment of women and their prescribed place and role in society – WOMENinSIGHT explores the impact and the role of women throughout history via a musical lens.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to the World Premiere, opening night of The Queen of Carthage (July 27 at 8:00pm at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts). Here’s how you can enter to win:
