The Eighth Annual Monsoon Festival of the Performing Arts returns August 17th to 31st bigger and better than ever. Presented by the South Asian Arts Society, the festival has become a summer destination for art and culture enthusiasts, attracting generations of families and friends who gather each year to celebrate South Asian culture through diverse and exciting programming.
This year’s Festival brings a line up of free and ticketed entertainment featuring music, performance art, live podcasts, dance lessons, workshops, at various venues throughout the city as well as a street festival, and online visual marketplace.
Opening the festival with a reception held at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, August 17 includes previews of the performances presented during the festival, followed by an opportunity to mix n mingle over food and drink.
The popular online Monsoon Marketplace, open for the duration of the festival, features unique and beautiful pieces of art created by the performers. Originally conceived by the producers during the pandemic to support the artists the Monsoon Marketplace has proved to be a popular attraction.
One of Vancouver’s most recognized voices, Tarannum Thind brings her signature podcast, Chai With T, for a live recording at the Surrey Arts Centre Studio Theatre on August 19. Inspired by storytelling and wanting to inspire others, you don’t want to miss one of the most sought-after, familiar, and personable South Asian media personalities in Vancouver.
Award winning actor, writer and theatre artist Adele Noronha will be hosting “Momentum” August 20 at The Vancouver East Cultural Centre. For all theatre enthusiasts, join Adele and the team of artists as they read excerpts of three published plays from three groups of South Asian artists. Chai, snacks, and conversation to follow the readings.
Audience members could be a festival participant in the part interactive game, part social discussion, part theatrical performance, Is Democracy Dead? which invites participants to care and connect at the Progress Lab on August 26. This interactive documentary-style theatre workshop is adapted from Theatre Conspiracy’s international hit show Foreign Radical.
In conjunction with the Punjabi Market Collective, Vancouver’s historic Punjabi Market will come alive, August 27, with a cornucopia of, music, dance, visual art, great food, family activities and fashion. The FREE community event is always a highlight of the festival.
The Industry Series is another FREE?and fun community-based initiative that is an exciting opportunity to be immersed into the artistic process. These sought-after gatherings will be taking place throughout the festival and include dance lessons by renowned dance artists in various styles that include the popular Bhangra and Kathak dance styles, along with a writing workshop led by Zahida Rahemtulla.
The Monsoon Festival for Performing Arts runs August 17-31, 2023 at various venues. Visit monsoonartsfest.ca for full festival line-up and tickets.