Performers

Founded in 2017 in Vancouver, the Anemos Greek Dance Group of the Messinian Brotherhood of BC is a dedicated group committed to preserving and presenting traditional dances from Messinia and other regions of Greece. Anemos is very active in the community, frequently hosting events and fundraisers to support their group and initiatives to foster the education of traditional Greek dances.

Most recently, eight Anemos dancers traveled to Toronto to learn dances and music from four different regions of Greece at the Klironomia Hellenic Folklore in Canada Conference.

They are very excited to perform dances from the Greek Islands for you all today!

Elise Boulanger is a haunting presence from Vancouver and Nanaimo, Canada, on Coast Salish lands. This Chamber-Pop artist captivates audiences with her haunting avalanche of a voice. Boulanger, a bilingual operatically-trained environmental advocate, creates cinematic dreamscapes with her band, which includes double bass, cello, violin, and drums.

Boulanger's newest release, “Spirit Seekers,” showcases her electronic entrance. This composition is for the seven-part docuseries Spirit Seekers, which shares rumored ghost stories from locations around Vancouver Island. Director and Medium Paula DeMontigny possesses a special ability to sense and communicate with the spirits who roamed these areas.

Performing for over 15 years, she began touring in 2021 across Western and Eastern Canada, as well as Vancouver Island and the Kootenays, as she continues to grow in the Canadian market. Boulanger's sound is reminiscent of Kate Bush with her angelic yet raw dramatic artistry and has been described as "definitely one to watch" by the Times Colonist. Her actions are bold and beautiful as she takes advantage of the stage to teach audiences how to adapt to climate change.

FRÄNDER plays modern acoustic folk music forged in the deep forests of northern Sweden. With seductive harmonies, heavy grooves, and mesmerizing energy, the band creates a unique musical landscape filled with mystery and charm. Combining their modern influences with the sounds of tradition, they find their creative freedom within the expressive modern sound of Nordic folk music and the traditional music of their ancestors. FRÄNDER is not interested in merely reproducing the past but strives to find new ways into the future.

They convey their music with tremendous joy, powerful energy, and, of course, enviable instrumental skills. They captivate their audience." - Ando Kiviberg, Founder, Viljandi Folk Festival

Traditional Palestinian dance and music team based in Seattle, Washington. All former students of the University of Washington, we came together to spread our love of the culture and celebrate our heritage.

Shawn Bullshields was born and raised in Southern Alberta and is a member of the Blackfoot Nation. In 2010, he began pursuing music professionally in Vancouver. Since 2015, Shawn has been performing full-time on Granville Island. As a singer and guitarist, he has a natural charisma and professional delivery that combines a repertoire of songs from the genres of pop, blues, country, and folk. The point where these genres intersect is through his masterful singing voice. He commands instant attention because his voice conveys the truth, beauty, and deep meaning within each song, expressed with the full weight of his personal life experiences.

On December 22nd, 2009, SEACHS registered with the BC Registry to become an official non-profit organization.
SEACHS engages in training and educating Canadians about Southeast Asian cultures. It seeks to encourage young people, in particular, to become involved in the preservation and promotion of various forms of Southeast Asian culture. Through these activities, it hopes to create a forum where people can engage in activities that promote Southeast Asian cultural heritage. This cultivates wellness within local Southeast Asian-Canadian communities and the wider public, enriching the diversity of Canadian society.

Stories on Wheels is an original street theatre storytelling act for the whole family. Tales are brought to life by a high-energy comic performer using beautifully illustrated picture cards displayed on a magnificent miniature wooden stage attached to a unique bicycle.

The show combines the best of oral storytelling and narrative painting. Featuring gorgeous illustrations by local artists, as well as traditional picture cards from Japan, several short stories are told with music, dramatic action, and audience interaction. Additionally, the audience gets to hear an amusing and informative history of the art form. You’ve never experienced storytelling quite like this before! Stories On Wheels has been touring throughout Western Canada since 2010.

For almost 30 years, the Surrey International Folk Dancers have been welcoming people of all ages to enjoy dancing together. They teach, learn and share folk dances set to ethnic music from around the world in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Xingyu Elegant Dancing Group is a non-for-profit group and was founded on November 10, 2017. There are 15 people and age range is from 40s to 70s. All members are from North Surrey.

They focus on Chinese dancing and perform an elegant dancing in lots of local Festivals.

CocoLarosa is a Surrey based folk singer/songwriter specializing in rhythmically bombastic and lyrically driven storytelling.
His music explores themes of nostalgia, desperation, and sass, always speaking directly from the heart of his life experiences.
In 2023 his song 'Shoulders of Giants' was voted #1 in the Folk Singer/Songwriter category of the Reddit Grammy Awards (June of 2023).

Known for his passionate performances and high caliber lyricism, Coco's authentic narratives stir up emotion and resonate with people in all walks of life. 

The UppaTones is a folk harmony trio whose cozy sound and dreamy harmonies evoke a hint of nostalgia while giving a fresh, modern take on vocal performance. They perform (mostly) a cappella, often accompanied by a rhythm of stomps and snaps, giving an intimate performance that showcases the depth of their vocals, the weave of melody and harmony, and the joy of music-making. The trio carefully crafts originals and refines covers over countless cups of jasmine tea, finding the most delicious harmonies while drawing inspiration from lived experiences and the magic of nature.