The Georgia Straight proudly sponsors the Vancouver International Children's Festival

A dancing and singing Iroquois Medicine Bear, a musical about star-crossed junkyard dogs, an illustrated cat named Pete, and clowns in a duck pond are just some of the characters that audiences young and old will meet during the 35th annual Vancouver International Children’s Festival. After 33 years at Vanier Park, the festival moved to Granville Island in 2011, and runs from May 29 to June 3.

This year’s festival features a lineup of talented performers, including Quebecois musician Élage Diouf, who recently won a Juno Award for his world music album, Aksil, which means “welcome” in Diouf’s native Senegalese language. Diouf’s energetic shows will have audiences on their feet and clapping along, as he tells stories and performs music in both French and English.

Animal lovers will want to check out Imago Theatre’s ZooZoo, where performers don masks and costumes to become penguins, cats, hippos, frogs, and more. There’s also Under the Stars, a retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Hansel and Gretal by Quebec’s L’Illusion, Théâtre de marionettes.

Journey Through Sound shows off Vancouver-based street dance crew Project Soul’s breathtaking moves, while Kutapira ignites the sounds of African music through Vancouver’s own marimba and percussion ensemble. Award-winning entertainer Will Stroet and the Backyard Band will have everyone singing along during his high-energy, interactive, bilingual musical performance.

In addition to fun-filled performances, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival is home to a variety of kid-approved activities, including face painting, shadow puppetry, lantern making, circus skills, and claymation. A ticket to a performing arts show gives you admission to the rest of the festival for the day. Alternatively, you can purchase an entry ticket to the festival for $6.

Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 604-684-2787 or online.