by Owen Cameron (This article was retrieved from Powell Street Festival Society press release on June 20th)
The Powell Street Festival will return for its 43rd year on Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4. The street festival takes place in the historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood known as Paueru Gai (literally translated as Powell Street area) centered at Alexander Avenue and Jackson Street in Vancouver. The festival spans six city blocks with several participating venues including the Firehall Arts Centre, Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall, and Vancouver Buddhist Temple.
This year’s lineup of performing artists features a wide variety of international and local talent. Musical highlights include Yuni Mori, who will bring her original piano compositions and delicate voice from Yamanashi, Japan, Teke::Teke, a seven-piece band from Montreal who will rock their Takeshi Terauchi-inspired blend of shoe-gaze, post-rock and noise, and from Seattle, Katrina Wolfe will unveil a shape-shifting butoh experience.
Local artists include Onibana Taiko, who bring a punk aesthetic to their presentations drawing from Japanese folk rituals, all-girl pop group Seishun Youth Academy, and June Fukumura, appearing as her dark humoured, clown alter-ego, Sumiko for a quirky interactive Japanese game show.
The Powell Street Festival’s famous array of food vendors are back with favourites like yakisoba, takoyaki, sushi, matcha ice cream, ramen and Japanese style hot dogs. Guests can enjoy the festival’s interactive installations, children’s activities, craft market, martial arts demonstrations, amateur sumo tournament, tea ceremonies, ikebana and bonsai demonstrations. All events at the Powell Street Festival are free.
