Organizers of the seventh annual Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival are promising “cultural and artistic carnivals” this month in Vancouver and Surrey. From Friday (July 4) to Sunday (July 6), the festival will present performances on two stages in šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (formerly the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza). The following weekend, the festival resumes at Surrey City Hall.
The fun begins at 5 p.m. on Friday with a cross-disciplinary show merging traditional and contemporary Taiwanese dance and music on the Culture Stage. Taiwanese choreographer Li-Yin Chiu established Lovedancing Group in 2010 for young dance lovers in Yilan. They’ll be joined on-stage by 3peoplemusic, a Taiwanese chamber ensemble who play classical Chinese instruments. Leader Kuo Jing-mu is a master of the guzheng; producer Pan I-ting plays zhongruan; and musical director Jen Chung performs on dizi and xiao.
Watch Lovedancing Group perform Gaze Into Hearts.
Since coming together in 2013, 3peoplemusic has enjoyed tremendous success. Their second album, Change, captured the Golden Melody Award for Best Crossover Music Album, as well as nominations for Best Composition and Best Recording. Their 2016 eponymous debut album and their third album, Fusion of Senses, were also nominated for Golden Melody Awards.
The trio will play two solo shows (Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:50 p.m.) on the Taiwanese Musician Stage. In addition, 3peoplemusic will perform on the Culture Stage with Lovedancing Group in six other cross-disciplinary showcases on Saturday (11 a.m., 12:40 p.m., and 4:20 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m., 2:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.).
Watch this TaiwanPlus episode (above) on 3peoplemusic.
Orchid Ensemble will perform
Another opening-night highlight will be vocalist Emily Yeh and multi-instrumentalist Emil Wu, who perform popular Taiwanese songs. They’ll be on the Taiwanese Musician Stage at 5:50 p.m. on Friday. Then at 6:40 p.m., the JUNO-nominated Orchid Ensemble will perform on the Culture Stage. It features two Taiwanese-born and Vancouver-based virtuosos: Lan Tung (erhu and vocals) and Dailin Hsieh (zheng), as well as Jonathan Bernard on percussion.
Music continues throughout the weekend. And on Sunday, Mozaico Flamenco will perform on the Culture Stage at 12:40 p.m. followed by Brazilian Swag at 4 p.m. Meanwhile for the kids, there will be face-painting workshops. There will also be a Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society Art Gallery on-site on all three days in šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square this weekend.
Then on July 12 and 13, the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival will resume with many of the same performers and attractions at City Room and Centre Stage at Surrey City Hall.
All of this is occurring in Taiwanese Heritage Month, which the B.C. government declared for the first time on July 1.
“For decades, the Taiwanese community has enriched the social, cultural and economic fabric of British Columbia,” Attorney General Niki Sharma said in a statement. “Today, more than 45,000 Taiwanese Canadians call our province home. We recognize their dedication, innovation and community leadership, which continue to shape our society and create a stronger, more connected province.
“Taiwanese culture is known for its warmth, creativity and strong sense of community,” she continued. “Whether through traditional festivals or the blending of history with modern life, it reflects a spirit of resilience and openness. Here in B.C., that vibrant cultural expression is carried forward by Taiwanese Canadians who contribute to our shared life every day.”
For more information on the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival, visit the website. Follow Pancouver on Instagram @PancouverMedia and on Bluesky @pancouver.
