Heart and Home: Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival

Focusing on the rich and diverse communities of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, the seventh Annual Downtown Eastside ‘Heart of the City Festival’ takes place until Sunday, November 7 at a variety of venues in the East End.  Featuring 12 days of music, cultural events, outdoor entertainment, films, theatre, dance, parades and spoken word, the festival promotes and profiles the arts and artists in this community.

The Downtown Eastside is one of Vancouver’s least understood communities and is often referred to as Canada’s poorest postal code.  It is the historic heart of the city where Coast Salish people once lived by Burrard Inlet, and for over a hundred years immigrants arrived making up the city’s unique multicultural heritage. The first settlement was in Gastown (map) and soon Chinatown (map)was also established.

The Carnegie Library (map), an imposing building at the corner of Main and Hastings Street, built in 1901 with funding from American steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, served as a landmark.  In the early days of Vancouver, until the 1930’s , this area was Vancouver’s major cultural, entertainment and shopping area.  When I was a kid I used to go to the Carnegie Library every weekend.  The museum was on the top floor and I spent many intriguing hours there.  I worked at the Vancouver Sun on Beatty Street and often walked through the Downtown Eastside.  Everyone shopped at the Woodwards Department Store on Abbot and Hastings and enjoyed the exotic shops and restaurants of Chinatown.  Then the area began to slip into despair.  But in spite of adversity, the residents of this historic area have always rallied together, and by 1970 they won the official recognition as a residential community.  Since 1980 the Carnegie Centre, now a community centre known as ‘the living room of the Downtown Eastside’ offers programs for the community free with a $1 a year membership.  The old Woodwards Department Store was restored and opened last year as a shopping and high-rise condo complex.  The area of Gastown has been re-gentrified. Chinatown is celebrating it’s 125 years with newly renovated buildings, shops, galleries, centering around the Chinese Cultural Centre and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens on Pender Street.

Carnegie Centre

For the past 6 years, to celebrate this community spirit, the people of the Downtown Eastside have celebrated together with the Heart of the City Festival. The Festival celebrates artists and cultures of the east side and gives voice to local concerns.  The theme is “Heart and Home”, celebrating the downtown Eastside as the heart of the City of Vancouver, home of choice for thousands of its residents.  The 2010 Festival also spotlights the First Nation artists, producers, curators and residents of the neighbourhood.

There will be a variety of 80 events in 25 locations around the neighbourhood.  Some highlights are:

• Tzimmes, a concert trio at the forefront of Jewish music making.  Sunday, October 31, 2 pm. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Garden, 578 Carrol St. (map) Entrance by donation.
• Barrio Flamenco: Flamenco for the People: a performance in honor of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)  Tuesday Nov 2 8 pm. radha yoga & eatery, 728 Main St. (map) $0 -$20 donation  Cash bar. Proceeds donated to EWMA (Enterprising Women Making Art)
• Stand Up for Mental Health: Find out what’s funny about mental health.  Wednesday, November 3 at 7 m.   Firehall Theatre 280 E. Cordova Street (map) $10 at the door.
• Stories of Music/Music of Stories: a triple bill with musician Dave Patterson (roots & blues), percussionist Jose Pepe Danza,; storyteller/musician Wong Wing-Siu; Klezmer with Jim Sands and Michael Vles.  Wednesday, November 3, Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main St. (map)  Free admission
• In Our Back Yard is Your Back Yard: Opening Reception. The 3^rdAnnual Oppenheimer Park Art Show with a parade and music by the Carnegie A Band.  Friday November 5.  Reception at 6 pm.  Parade at 5 pm  Gallery Gachet, 88 E. Cordova Street. (map)  Free admission.
• Celebration of Oppenheimer Park (map),  November 6 at 11 am.  Presenting Chief Henry Robertson’s new carving to be installed in the Park.  Music, drumming, song and ceremony.  Free admission.

In addition to these events there will be History Walks around the area, outdoor performances, and a celebration at the Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender St.(map)  Sunday, November 7.  Concert and supper $15,  followed by a dance.  7 pm. Pay as you go.

For a more complete schedule including post-festival events in the Downtown Eastside Community,  see here

Photo credits: John Endo Greenaway, Big Wave Design Heart of the City Festival  and W. Ruth Kozak