The Fourth Annual Indian Summer Festival kicked off with a bang at the beautiful Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden last Thursday. Organized by Indian Summer Arts Society (ISAS), a Vancouver-based not-for-profit secular arts organization dedicated to promoting, showcasing and building public awareness of artists of South Asian origin in the performing, visual, literary and folk arts, the festival began in 2011 with the support from SFU Woodward’s Cultural Unit and Teamwork Arts India. The festival celebrates arts, ideas and diversity in the Lower Mainland, and features performances and programs that offer insights into South Asian Canadian culture.
Opening Gala- Photo by Aziz Dhamani 2014
There is an array of events covering many areas ranging from Hip Hop Yoga to a cross-media storytelling of the Komagata Maru incident through jazz, poetry and visual arts (July 6 at the Museum of Vancouver) to Dinner by Starlight, prepared by the celebrated Vikram Vij, at various venues across the city.
Chef Vikra Vij- Photo by Tom Delamere 2014
The festival runs until July 12, and every day is packed with distinct cultural events that showcase both traditional South Asian culture and contemporary ideas in arts, and explore and celebrate the complex, hybrid South Asian Canadian culture present in British Columbia.
Be sure to check out the amazing festival happening all over Vancouver. Tickets and more information can be found on the Indian Summer Festival events page.
Renowned Indian graphic artist Orijit Sen works on the mural, “From Punjab with Love”