Before there was Carnaval del Sol or Indian Summer Festival or Surrey Fusion Festival or a Pride Festival, there was the Powell Street Festival. Since 1977, this annual Vancouver celebration of Japanese Canadians has been emphasizing high-quality arts and culture, along with fun community-oriented events like sumo wrestling and Japanese food booths.
It’s never been commercialized in its 48-year history, setting a standard for others to emulate. Over the past decade, the Powell Street Festival has continued growing. It’s also offered a platform for avant-garde creators such as audiovisual artist Yota Kobayashi, choreographer Hiromoto Ida, the members of Onibana Taiko, experimental guitarist Hiroki Tanaka, and many others.
Executive director Emiko Morita has played a critical role in maintaining the high level of artistry. She worked in the publishing industry prior to accepting her current position in 2015.
Little did she know at the time that she would be called upon to shepherd the festival through difficult times. In 2019, organizers chose not to present any events in its longtime location in Oppenheimer Park. Morita and her board of directors didn’t want to displace anyone living in a homeless camp on-site.
Then, she guided the festival through the pandemic, which wasn’t easy. In 2020, she launched the Paueru Mashup Dance, generating some much-needed joy while paying homage to the history of the neighbourhood.
Morita raised money for worthy causes
“Emi led the festival through a time of substantial growth, introduced interactive installation competitions, approached moving the 2019 festival with grace and respect towards the DTES community, and pivoted to a successful online telethon in the face of the pandemic while raising money for good causes,” noted festival publicist Owen Cameron in an email to Pancouver.
After nearly 10 years at the helm, Morita will move on after this year’s Powell Street Festival. It takes place on Saturday (August 3) and Sunday (August 4) in various locations, including Oppenheimer Park. Her departure will give her successor time to prepare for the 50th-anniversary Powell Street Festival in 2026.
The board is inviting applications for anyone interested in becoming the next executive director. People can apply through this Linkedin job posting.
For more information, visit the Powell Street Festival website. Follow Pancouver on X @PancouverMedia and on Instagram @PancouverMedia.
