Fifth annual Hapa-palooza returns to Vancouver

Dec 20 2017, 1:10 am

Hapa-palooza, Canada’s first and largest mixed roots festival, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a bang from September 16 to 20.

Shining a spotlight on multi-ethnic cultural identity, the festival presents five incredible events featuring a stellar line up of special guests including award-winning author Lawrence Hill (Book of Negroes); Hollywood actor Patrick Gallagher (Glee, Night at the Museum); humanitarian and professional snowboarder Tamo Campos; comedian and activist Sean Devlin (ShitHarperDid.com, Yes Men/Yes Lab); musicians Buckman Coe and David Morin; authors Brandy Worrall (What Doesn’t Kill Us), Chelene Knight (Braided Skin); and more. Head over to the Hapa-palooza website to learn more about their upcoming festivities.

Image: Larry Chin

Image: Larry Chin

“Hapa-palooza is about bridging worlds, gathering community and celebrating diverse ancestry and cultural heritage,” says co-founder and journalist Anna Ling Kaye. “It encourages people to share their stories and be proud of their cultural make-up.” The name of the festival is a reference to the Hawaiian word ‘hapa,’ meaning part or half, now used in North America to describe people of mixed ancestry.

For a second year in a row, organizers are hosting Hip Hapa Hooray, the festival’s awards night. This year’s recipients are Lawrence Hill for Lifetime Achievement, Margaret Gallagher for Community Builder and Tamo Campos for Youth Achievement.

Image: Larry Chin

Image: Larry Chin

“When you start a festival, you never really know if it’s going to survive. And we’re so humbled to have the support of Vancouver and other communities around the world for the last five years,” says Chiba Stearns. “It’s a testament to the fact that we’re at the cusp of something big; especially because the hapa community is one of the fastest growing demographics in North America.”

Hapa-palooza Vancouver 2015

When: Wednesday, September 16 to Sunday, September 20

Where: Multiple locations around Vancouver

For more information, visit www.hapapalooza.com.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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