Vancouver's big annual celebration of Japanese-Canadian culture has found a novel way to reimagine itself in this year of social distancing: a live telethon to benefit the Downtown Eastside.

The Powell Street Festival has announced that it's cancelled its 44th annual gathering outdoors in Oppenheimer Park and the surrounding area of historic Japantown, "Paueru Gai", due to COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, it will take to the airwaves on August 1 from 2 to 7 p.m.

The telethon will stream live performances, highlights from previous festivals, appearances from festival vendors, and  more. 

All of the proceeds will go toward the year-round DTES Community Care program. This program entails bringing the JC community together to create a monthly meal program for people in the DTES in partnership with the DTES Community Kitchen network. The funds will also support  DTES seasonal celebrations like the Hanami Cherry Blossom Event, Asahi Tribute Game, and Minori Harvest.   

The online Telethon Pledge Campaign on July 1 on Canada Helps; the fest will issue tax receipts for donations.