Tamio Wakayama [1941-2018]

We are saddened by the news of Tamio Wakayama’s passing on March 23, 2018. Tamio was a photojournalist for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the American civil rights movement and brought his experience and spirit to renewed activism in the Japanese Canadian community in the late 1970s.  As Powell Street Festival’s main photographer … Read more

Lost Fleet Speaker Series – Sunny Island + Spatial Poetics

Thursday, May 24th at 7:30pm at Vancouver Maritime Museum 1905 Ogden Avenue in Vanier Park Talk is included with paid museum admission For tickets: CLICK HERE Underwater archeologist Charles Moore and VMM curator Duncan McLeod discuss the recent excavation of Japanese-Canadian fishing boat, the Sunny Island – Thursday, May 24th at 7:30pm. The discovery and identification of the Sunny Island, a boat build … Read more

Lillooet Legacy Sign Unveiling

Highway 12 & Sumner Road beside Airport Gardens, Lillooet, BC Fri., May 11, 1:30 pm In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Japanese Canadian Internment, Honourable Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, will be unveiling the second of seven Highway Legacy Signs for the Internment Site clusters and Roadcamps for the Self-supporting sites of … Read more

Rita Ueda talks about her cantata Debris

Vancouver Maritime Museum 1905 Ogden Avenue in Vanier Park Thursday, May 3rd at 7:30pm Composer Rita Ueda talks about her cantata Debris, inspired by the 2011 tsunami and the debris that washed up along the west coast of North America – Thursday, May 3rd at 7:30pm. Rita Ueda is a Japanese-Canadian composer and sound designer based in Vancouver. She is … Read more

Yūko-kai – a concert of Japanese dance

Saturday May 12 at 8pm Scotiabank Dance Centre Samurai warriors, pearl divers, court nobles and heartbroken women who transform into serpents grace the stage in “Yūko-kai – a concert of Japanese dance. ” This concert celebrates the life and work of Fujima Yūko (1929-2003) bringing Vancouver audiences a rare performance of nihon buyoh and the … Read more

Hanami: A Cherry Blossom Picnic

Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 1 pm Oppenheimer Park, 488 Powell Street Celebrate the Sakura Blossoms with free Japanese Curry Lunch at 1 pm and Haiku and Calligraphy Workshops at 2 pm Presented by Powell Street Festival Society and Oppenheimer Park  

2018 Festival Applications now open!

Please choose the appropriate application form below. If you have already registered or applied through this site in previous years, you can log in to your profile page using the right sidebar. For Community Booths 2018 Community Booth Application For Craft Vendors 2018 Craft Vendor Application For Displays 2018 Display Application For Food Booth Vendors … Read more

3rd Annual Design Competition – – Call for Entries!

3rd Annual Design Competition – – Call for Entries! Presented in partnership with Revery Architecture and Abaton Projects, students are invited to design an interactive artwork for the 42nd Anniversary Powell Street Festival, scheduled for August 4 and 5, 2018. The winning submission is awarded mentorship from Revery Architecture and Abaton Projects, and a commission … Read more

Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg

Vancouver Art Gallery February 3 – May 6, 2018 Murakami’s Birthday Bash February 2nd at 5:30 pm Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg is a major retrospective exhibition of the monumental paintings of Takashi Murakami, one of the world’s most influential artists. With fifty-five works, the show will trace Murakami’s oeuvre over three decades, … Read more

Pick up you Festival Program at these locations

Photo of 2017 Powell Street Festival programs

In partnership with The Bulletin/Geppo and the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association, our program guide is available at listed locations. You can also download the the entire 2017 Festival Program Guide (PDF, 9 MB) or the Festival 2017 Schedule (PDF, 1MB) to see a summary of all that’s going on on Sat, Aug 5th … Read more

Check out the 2017 Festival Program Guide

Photo of special guests, George and Noriko, a Japanese blues cowboy and a Tsugaru shamisen player from Melbourne, Australia Hot off the presses! The full line-up and schedule for the 41st Annual Powell Street Festival has been published! You can download the entire 2017 Festival Program Guide (PDF, 9MB) containing the full Festival schedule with … Read more

Volunteer Applications are now open!

The Powell Street Festival is a unique festival in that it celebrates so many aspects of the community in an inclusive, accessible and respectful environment. We rely on hundreds of volunteers to make this festival the wonderful event that it is! Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet new friends, spend time with friends and … Read more

Announcing Our 2017 Powell Street Festival Lineup

Photo of Katie Malia from Almost Asian

Announcing Our 2017 Powell Street Festival Lineup Powell Street Festival Returns August 5th and 6th with Haruki Murakami’s Top Translators, Almost Asian’s Katie Malia, and a presentation on Japan’s Third Gender Musical highlights include Australia’s George & Noriko, Japan’s Ensemble Liberta and numerous taiko groups including California’s JODAIKO Download the entire 2017 Festival Program Guide … Read more

Tonari Gumi is Hiring an Executive Director

Tonari Gumi Vancouver is seeking an Executive Director to oversee the leadership and management of this vital, grass roots Japanese Canadian non-profit organization.   Since 1974, Tonari Gumi has been inspiring Japanese Canadian seniors and other generations through social, recreational and educational programs and services for the betterment of the Japanese Canadian community. The ideal candidate … Read more

41st Annual Powell Street Festival

Saturday, August 5 & Sunday, August 6, 2017 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 entire 2017 Festival Program Guide (PDF, 9MB) or just the Festival 2017 … Read more

Sumo! A Beginner’s Workshop

Sunday, May 7 from 1 to 4 pm Vancouver Buddhist Temple 220 Jackson Street, 2nd floor; doors at 12:30 pm Information: 604-739-9388 Pre-registration: admin [@] powellstreetfestival.com Learn the basic rules and techniques of sumo wrestling and participate in a mini-tournament (optional). No experience necessary. Free. All ages. Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and bring your … Read more

Macro Maki: Winner of the Design Competition

Photo of Macro Maki Installation

Macro Maki: Winner of the Design Competition Powell Street Festival Society is pleased to announce the winner of its design competition: “Macro Maki” invites festivalgoers to don pillow-sized sushi costumes and stage selfies on stage designed as an oversized wooden sushi tray. This quirky, interactive installation will be presented at the 41th annual Powell Street … Read more

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