Coming this summer is the 49th annual Powell Street Festival!
Celebrating Japanese-Canadian art and culture, the Powell Street Festival is one of the largest and long-running art festivals in Canada. It’s two whole days filled with community, amazing food, and tons of arts and crafts to go around.
POWELL STREET FESTIVAL 2025
The Powell Street Festival began back in 1977, and for 48 years it has celebrated Japanese Canadian art and culture through community engagement, inclusivity, heritage, and resilience. For its 49th year, the festival is bringing the celebration to the Powell Street area once again to feature loads of local talent, delicious food, and plenty of cultural experiences.
View this post on Instagram
The festival includes 3 featured events, including:
- Chibi Taiko: Canada’s first Youth Taiko Drumming ensemble, founded back in 1933. Expect an amazing performance of this unique art form with their iconic taiko drums.
- Landscapes of Home: Come watch the feature film Landscapes of Home, a documentary by Alice Il Shin and Eiko Kawabe Brown. It tells the story of Japanese Canadian internment, highlighting “the meaning of home amid war and loss.”
- Japanese Canadian Youth Mixer: This mixer is a great place for other young Japanese-Canadians to mingle and connect. Expect good vibes, activities, snacks, refreshments, and community.
There are so many more events to expect from the Powell Street Festival, such as learning about Ikebana (floral arrangements), making origami, and a sumo workshop you can attend!
GOOD EATS, GOOD SHOPS
If you love Japanese food, then you are going to be spoiled at the Powell Street Festival. From traditional to community cuisine, there’s a bit of everything from the food vendors. Here’s a few you can expect:
- Coconama Chocolate
- Hatchan Takoyaki
- Potato San
- Taco Nori
- Teppan Yaro
- Teriyaki Boys
- Tochu
- Wakwak Burger
Looking to do some shopping? You can find a trove of treasures from the craft and marketplace booths!
- Ally Ally Orange
- Beads Ya
- Flight Path Designs
- Capture+ wire jewelry
- Hazy Bee Studio
- House of Kewpie
- Potteruki
- Tien the Wizard
There’s more to see and eat at the Powell Street Festival aside from what we’ve listed, so check out their website for all the details.
Everything is free at the festival, so head to Oppenheimer Park for a weekend of nothing but good times and Japanese-Canadian culture!
EVENT DETAILS:
📅 Date: August 2 – August 3, 2025
📍 Location: Oppenheimer Park and surrounding areas in Powell Street
🎟️ Tickets & More Info: Powell Street Festival
