PSFS November Newsletter

Powell Street Festival Monthly Newsletter – November 2015

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Powell Street Festival Society • パウエル祭協会 | Celebrating Japanese Canadian arts and culture since 1977

KT performing at the 2014 Powell Street Festival • photo by Jeanie Ow

News this month: Against the Current, TeaLeaves Partnership, 40th Anniversary Fundraiser, and more!

Message from Artistic Director Mark Takeshi McGregor

November marks the launch of our Kiai! 40^th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign. We need your help to raise $40,000 for Powell Street Festival Society's 40th anniversary – this campaign is specifically to help us expand the festival site (after record attendance of 16,000 festival goers this past summer!), increase our children’s activities, and create infrastructure that will ensure another 40 years of festival activities. Want more incentive to donate? Look no further: we’re partnering with Tealeaves to create Kiai! tea – a brand new signature tea made especially in honour of our 40^th. Everyone who donates $50 or more will get a free package of this unique blend.

Incidentally, you can help us choose this tea on November 7^th. We’ll be hosting a very special event at the Canadian Music Centre that showcases Amsterdam-based sho virtuoso Naomi Sato. This will be followed by delicious Japanese snacks, a festive atmosphere, and most importantly, an assortment of incredible new teas, generously provided by the folks at Tealeaves. Taste them all and vote which tea should become the official tea of Powell Street Festival’s 40^th Anniversary! This event is absolutely FREE. Read below for details and have a terrific Fall!

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Make your contribution!

Throughout November and December, Powell Street Festival Society is campaigning to raise $40,000 in preparation for its 40th festival, July 30-31, 2016. Your support sets the festival on a solid path into the future. PSFS plans to expand the festival site, increase our children's activities, upgrade our food vendor equipment (fire-proof tents and energy-efficient hot-water on demand systems), and improve our year round storage.

In recognition for cash donation over $50, we will send you a package of our signature tea, Kiai! Our festival blend will be chosen this Saturday, November 7th at 2 pm during a FREE afternoon of Japanese music and tea drinking at the Canadian Music Centre.

For more information about other perks and the campaign, check out our website.

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Kiai! An Afternoon of Japanese Music & Tea Tasting

Canadian Music Centre, 837 Davie Street
Saturday, November 7 at 2 p.m.
FREE, Register through Eventbrite

Powell Street Festival (PSFS), in partnership with Tealeaves and Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, invites you to a special FREE afternoon of Japanese music and tea drinking at the Canadian Music Centre on Saturday, November 7 at 2 p.m.

We are thrilled to present Naomi Sato, an Amsterdam-based virtuoso of the shō (Japanese mouth organ), who will perform traditional and contemporary music on this hauntingly beautiful instrument.

After that, you'll have a very important job: sampling incredible new teas provided by Tealeaves, enjoying tasty Japanese snacks, and selecting the tea that you think best captures the spirit, tradition, solidarity, and innovation of Powell Street Festival! The tea with the most votes will become Kiai!: Powell Street Festival’s official signature tea.

The event is FREE but space is limited so please register through Eventbrite.

Check out this lovely video made by our partner Tealeaves launching our signature tea Kiai!

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Against the Current: A collaborative cross-cultural performance

Against the Current, is created by Chibi Taiko, Katari Taiko, Sansho Daiko, Sawagi Taiko and Vancouver Okinawan Taiko, with Grace Eiko Thomson, storyteller Rosemary Georgeson (Sahtu Dene/Coast Salish), Salish music ensemble Tzo’kam led by musician and composer Russell Wallace, narrative contributions by John Endo Greenway, Hiromi Goto and Savannah Walling, and over 25 Downtown Eastside community participants with community-made papier-mache salmon. Against the Current celebrates the role of salmon in Salish and Japanese history, culture, the fishing industry, and their shared experience of resilience and swimming against the current.

Friday, November 6, 8pm

Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall
487 Alexander Street, Vancouver

$15 regular, $10 concession at the door
For advanced tickets through Katari Taiko Drum Group Association, please call Diane at 604-683-8240 or e-mail diane@dkam.ca

Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall

Fall Bazaar [秋のバザー]

Sunday, November 15
Noon – 3:00pm
Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall
487 Alexander St, Vancouver

Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall are excited to present Fall Food Bazaar. There will be our signature udon, chicken teriyaki, manju, sushi and more! Don’t forget to check out silent auction and kids area. We look forward to meeting you there!

日時：11月15日（日）正午～午後3時
場所：バンクーバー日本語学校並びに日系人会館
487 Alexander St, Vancouver

食欲の秋、収穫の秋、食べ物がおいしい秋です。さあ、秋のバザーへ出かけましょう。バンクーバー日本語学校並びに日系人会館では、秋のバザーを行います。好評のうどん、チキン照り焼き、おまんじゅう、お寿司の他、もちろん新メニューもあり、たくさん食べ物を用意して、皆様のご来場をお待ちいたします。サイレントオークション、キッズコーナーもあります。ご家族、お友達とご一緒に楽しい秋の一時をお過ごし下さい。

Legacy Fund

PSFS is establishing a Legacy Fund to enhance our financial stability as we continue to celebrate Japanese Canadian arts and culture. Powell Street Festival is the largest Japanese Canadian festival in the country and the longest running community celebration in Vancouver. Make a gift to our Legacy Fund.

Your Bequeathment

Whether you are a regular festival goer, a volunteer, or a member of our broader community, you have made a personal investment in Powell Street Festival Society. Commitment like yours is what has enriched our community and kept this festival running for the last 40 years. You can help sustain our vibrancy by remembering Powell Street Festival Society in your estate planning.

By bequeathing to Powell Street Festival Society, you are celebrating the history of the Japanese culture in Canada and giving to future generations.

Powell Street Festival may have impacted your life in some way. You are not alone. Powell Street Festival Society has been touching lives throughout the Lower Mainland for over 39 years by presenting accessible, community based Japanese Canadian arts and cultural programming. We will continue to do so with your support.

For more information on how to donate to Powell Street Festival Society please contact us at 604-739-9388 or email info [at] powellstreetfestival.com.

photo credit Tamio Wakayama

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Call for Volunteers!

We are currently looking for some office volunteers to help with office organization and surveys. Let us know if you are interested by emailing Cara at admin@powellstreetfestival.com!

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For information on the various Community Events that PSFS supports and/or thinks that might be of interest to you, please click here

Community Events

Send Us Your Event!

Do you have a Japanese Canadian or Downtown Eastside community related event? Powell Street Festival Society is pleased to offer our community partners the opportunity to submit their own special events. We will publicize suitable events and activities. It’s our little way of saying thank you for your hard work in our community! Send us via Community Event Submission Form.

© 2015 Powell Street Festival Society, All rights reserved.

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