Festival Archives
The Powell Street Festival is the largest Japanese Canadian festival in the country and the longest running community arts celebration in Vancouver! Enjoy traditional and contemporary Japanese Canadian performances and demonstrations, including taiko drumming, sumo wrestling, martial arts, bonsai and ikebana, folk and modern dance, alternative pop/rock/urban music, visual arts, film/video, as well as historical walking tours, tea ceremonies, and a fantastic array of Japanese food, crafts, & displays.
Every BC Day Long Weekend, 11:30am to 7:00pm
See below for info about past Festivals.
43rd Annual Powell Street Festival
Surrounding Areas of Oppenheimer Park (300-500 block of Alexander Street, 100-300 block of Jackson Avenue, 100-200 block of Dunlevy Avenue)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Cordova Street)
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (475 Alexander Street)
Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue)
See our full 2019 print program here!
Or see our two-day Festival schedule here!
42nd Annual Powell Street Festival
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Cordova Street)
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (475 Alexander Street)
Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue)
Centre A Gallery (268 Keefer Street)
View our full print Festival program here!!
Download our PDF two day Festival schedule here!
41st Annual Powell Street Festival
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Cordova Street)
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (475 Alexander Street)
Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue)
Download the entire 2017 Festival Program Guide (PDF, 9MB) or just the Festival 2017 Schedule (PDF, 1MB) to see all of the activities, times, and locations.
40th Annual Powell Street Festival
Saturday, July 30th & Sunday, July 31st, 2016
11:30am to 7:00pm
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Cordova Street)
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (475 Alexander Street)
Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue)
Download the Festival Program Guide (PDF, 24 MB)
Download the 2016 Festival Schedule (PDF, 7 MB)
The 39th Annual Powell Street Festival
Saturday, August 1st & Sunday, August 2nd, 2015
11:30am to 7:00pm
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Street)
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (475 Alexander Street)
Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue)
Centre A (229 E. Georgia Street)
View our online 2015 Festival Schedule.
Download the 2015 Festival Program Guide (PDF, 12.5 MB) or just the the 2015 Festival Schedule (PDF, 1.7 MB).
38th Annual Powell Street Festival
Saturday, August 2nd & Sunday, August 3rd, 2014
11:30am to 7:00pm
Alexander Street (between Princess and Dunlevy Avenues) and Jackson Avenue (between Railway and Cordova Streets).
For the 2014 Festival, the new site spanned approximately 4 city blocks and will have one main stage located on Alexander Street west of Jackson Avenue. As well, our other venues did not changed! More info ›
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Street)
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall (475 Alexander Street)
Vancouver Buddhist Temple (220 Jackson Avenue)
Centre A (229 E. Georgia Street)
Ming Sun – Uchida Building (439 Powell Street)
Click here to download the 2014 Festival Program Guide (PDF, 15MB)
37th Annual Powell Street Festival!
Saturday, August 3rd and Sunday, August 4th, 2013
11:30am to 7:00pm
Oppenheimer Park (400 Block Powell Street)
Download the 2013 programme (4.8 MB).
36th Annual Powell Street Festival!
Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th, 2012
11:30am to 7:00pm
Oppenheimer Park (400 Block Powell Street)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Cordova), Vancouver Japanese Language School & Hall (475 Alexander), Chapel Arts (304 Dunlevy), Japanese Canadian National Museum (6688 Southoaks, Burnaby), Blim (115 East Pender)
Download full 2012 Festival programme.
In 2012, it had been thirty six years since the inaugural Powell Street Festival, and in that time we’d grown from a small community event to a full-blown arts & culture celebration attended by thousands each year. We are grateful to all the participants, volunteers, funders, attendees, and our DTES community for supporting our efforts these past number of years!
Poster design by Cindy Mochizuki
35th Annual Powell Street Festival
Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st, 2011
11:30 am to 7 pm
Oppenheimer Park (400 Powell Street)
Firehall Arts Centre (280 E. Cordova), Vancouver Japanese Language School & Hall (475 Alexander), Chapel Arts (304 Dunlevy), Japanese Canadian National Museum (6688 Southoaks, Burnaby), Blim (115 East Pender)
Download the Programme (PDF, 2.7MB) and Schedule (PDF, 1MB) as printed in The Bulletin.
34th Annual Powell Street Festival
Saturday, July 31st and Sunday, August 1st, 2010, 11:30 am to 7 pm
Oppenheimer Park (400 block Powell Street)
Download the schedule (1.1 MB) and the full programme (3.8 MB) as printed in The Bulletin.
32nd Annual Powell Street Festival
Sensu
Saturday, August 2nd & Sunday, August 3rd, 2008
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Download the 2008 Festival schedule (pdf) by clicking here
31st Powell Street Festival
Play/Playful
Saturday, August 4th & Sunday, August 5th, 2007
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Download the 2007 Festival schedule (pdf) by clicking here.
30th Powell Street Festival
Memory Streams
Saturday, August 5th & Sunday, August 6th, 2006
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Download the 2006 Festival schedule (pdf) by clicking here.
29th Powell Street Festival
Hip’pu Pop’pu,
celebrating contemporary Japanese Canadian culture
Saturday, July 30th & Sunday, July 31st, 2005
Oppenheimer Park (400 block of Powell Street)
Download the 2005 Festival schedule (PDF).
Poster by Kathy Shimizu
