Vancouver’s Indian Summer Festival is a festival featuring music, art, and public speaking events by Canadian, South Asian and Indigenous artists in July.
It’s a multi-day arts festival that brings artists, writers and thinkers from across Canada and abroad. Some of its events are free, while others require tickets you need to purchase.
Indian Summer Festival in 2024
The 2024 Indian Summer Festival (ISF) ran from Thursday, July 4th, until Sunday, July 14th. The theme of this past year’s festival was “Paradox.” There were around 12 different in-person events, including talks, dance and live music performances. You’ll find details about some of the events below.
Opening Party
The Indian Summer Festival’s Opening Party is a major culinary event with live performances on the first day of the festival. This year the Opening Party took place on Thursday, July 4th. It featured food by chef Tushar Tondvalkar.
The Opening Party was held at Performance Works, located at 1218 Cartwright Street on Granville Island. Tickets cost about $100 each before taxes and online fees.
SOUNDsystem
In previous years, Pause in the Park was a day with free programming in Vanier Park. The event has since been renamed SOUNDsystem. It was a free, one-day event on July 14th, 2024 (the final day of the festival).
SOUNDsystem happened from noon until 5:00 pm in the Public Market courtyard on Granville Island in 2024. The performance schedule was as follows:
- 12:00 pm – Ruby Singh with Arthur Flowers
- 1:00 pm – Baljit Singh, Amarjeet Singh and Rishi Ranjan
- 2:00 pm – TBA (as of late June)
- 3:00 pm – Laydy Jams with Missy D and Sejal
- 4:00 pm – Curtis Clear Sky and Constellationz
Roots & Ritual
In 2024 there was a garden party held at the Moberly Arts and Culture Centre at 7646 Prince Albert Street from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets cost between $25 and $50.
This event was an evening of food and culture as horticulturalist Alisha Lettman guided guests through 64 different plants and herbs and shared their importance in Indian culture.
Other Information
For more information about the festival, check out the Indian Summer Festival website.
To learn about other events taking place at other times and places, see Vancouver’s July Calendar or click Festivals & Events.
(Note: Musicians appearing in the photo at the top of the article are Amarjeet Singh and Baljit Singh.)
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver on a Budget
- Vancouver Summer Activities
- History and Culture in the Lower Mainland
- Vancouver Shows and Entertainment
