LifeStyle Features

TaiwanFest 2018: Downtown Vancouver comes alive with the cultures of two independent Pacific island nations

by Charlie Smith on September 1st, 2018 at 4:53 PM
    1 of 14 2 of 14

      TaiwanFest is back this Labour Day weekend—and it's brought a Pinoy flair.

      That's because the annual festival is celebrating the linguistic and cultural ties between two Pacific island nations: Taiwan and the Philippines.

      In fact, the stretch along Granville Street north of Dunsmuir has been dubbed the Pinoy Block.

      Today, the Bibak of British Columbia dance troupe entertained the crowd with their joyful routine.

      Members are related to the Igorot people, which is an Austronesian ethnic group in the mountains of Luzon. They're related to Indigenous people in Taiwan.

      Video: Bibak of British Columbia attracted a large crowd of observers in the Pinoy Block of Granville north of Dunsmuir Street.

      In the 600 and 700 blocks of Granville, there were plenty of booths celebrating Taiwanese culture, both locally and overseas.

      And on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery, there was a performance by the Auba Rukai Children's Choir.

      All the singers are from an Austronesian Indigenous group in Taiwan.

      The Auba Rukai Children's Choir will be performing their traditional Taiwanese Indigenous songs throughout the festival.
      Charlie Smith

      All events are free—though you'll have to pay for the Taiwanese food and for beverages in the beer garden outside the Art Gallery.

      This year's TaiwanFest has a beer garden on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
      Charlie Smith

      Below, you can see some other photos from TaiwanFest today.

      Michelle Wu is educating passersby about the Society of We Are Canadians Too, which celebrates immigrants to Canada of all backgrounds.
      Charlie Smith
      Hop aboard the Jeepney Express and enjoy everything TaiwanFest has to offer.
      Charlie Smith
      Traditional Taiwanese attire is on display in the 600 block of Granville.
      Charlie Smith
      Charlie Smith
      The butterfly effect suggests that chain reactions caused by small events, even the flapping of a beautiful insect's wings, can have monumental effects.
      Charlie Smith
      Taiwanese products are available for sale in the 700 block of Granville.
      The New Democrats posted signs of four of their MLAs, including Taiwan-born Katrina Chen (right).
      Charlie Smith
      The Conservatives had a presence at TaiwanFest, but there was no sign of any Liberal booth on the street.
      Charlie Smith

      Comments