Vancouver’s “festival for the curious mind” is returning for its 14th iteration this July. 

The annual Indian Summer Festival celebrates South Asian arts and perspectives through everything from music and poetry to visual arts and forums. This year, the focus is on multifaceted thinking. 

“This year’s festival theme of ‘paradox’ was inspired by a teaching prevalent across many South Asian cultures that truth isn’t necessarily singular or uniform. Instead, multiple, seemingly contradictory truths can coexist simultaneously,” says executive director of programming Pawan Deol in a statement. “Writers, musicians, poets, visual artists, and interdisciplinary visionaries will contemplate the paradox of many truths as a means to deeply understand the world and our place within it.” 

Opening on July 4 with a party at Performance Works, the marquee event is An Evening with ALOK, bringing gender non-conforming comedians, artists, and poet Alok to the Chan Centre on July 6.

Other festival highlights include an outdoor performance of music and poetry, The Last Prayer Bead: Poetry, Story and Song, from a number of spoken word artists accompanied by musicians—including blues musician and storyteller Arthur “Rickydoc” Flowers; and a concert from trailblazing South Asian musicians Arushi Jain, Sheherezaad, and Piu. 

Indian artist Manjot Kaur is also joining the festival as a feature artist. Through paintings and installations, her work challenges patriarchal and colonial practices, often embracing mythological and ecological themes.

More events are set to be announced at the beginning of June, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Indian Summer Festival 2024

When: July 4 to 14

Where: Various locations around Vancouver