The 50th annual Powell Street Festival Returns this Summer!
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 2026
Powell Street Festival is the largest Japanese Canadian summer festival in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
It began back in 1977, and since then it has celebrated Japanese Canadian art and culture through community engagement, inclusivity, heritage, and resilience.
Celebrate 50 years of Japanese Canadian arts, culture, and community at the Powell Street Festival. This milestone edition brings together artists, performers, families, and visitors for a weekend of free programming in Vancouver’s historic Paueru Gai (Powell Street area).
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Festival highlights include:
- 80+ free programs featuring music, dance, theatre, film, literature, and visual arts
- Japanese Canadian performances and cultural showcases
- Taiko, martial arts demonstrations, and traditional arts presentations
- Hands-on workshops, family activities, and community gatherings
- Japanese food, craft vendors, and cultural displays
- Anniversary exhibitions, storytelling, and archival projects celebrating five decades of Festival history
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!
This year’s lottery also features 20 exciting prizes with a total value of $9,215, generously donated by community partners and independent businesses. Proceeds support the Powell Street Festival Society and community sellers, helping sustain future Festival programming and community initiatives. Tickets are available at the Festival, through community partners, or online, with draws taking place throughout the Festival weekend and the grand prize draw on August 2 at 6:00pm.
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:
- Taco Nori
- Tatchan Noodle
- Tea Lani
- Tenrikyo Yonomotokai
- Teppan Yarro
- Teriyaki Boys
- Vancouver Japanese Language School (VJLS)
- Vankoji Foods
- Whatafood Food Services
- Aiyaohno Café
- Artisan Sakemaker
- Coconama
- Japanese Crepe Sasuke
- JCCA
- Kanadell Japanese Bakery
- Konko Church
- Manpuku
- Tochi
- Tonari Gumi
- Vancouver Buddhist Temple
Looking to do some shopping? You can also find a trove of treasures from the craft and marketplace booths!
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 1 – 2, 2026, 11:30am – 7pm
📍 Location: Oppenheimer Park and surrounding areas in Powell Street
🎟️ Tickets & More Info: Powell Street Festival
