From Kumkumaly to Skwahchays, this area we now call Strathcona has long First Nations history.
For millennia, three Coast Salish First Nations: the XwMuthkwium (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Tsleil-waututh exercised overlapping traditional rights to this territory since time immemorial.
We are honored to have Mr. Sam George of the Squamish Nation open our event with a traditional welcome.
ALIVE is Aboriginals Living in Vancouver Enhancement Society. We are a group striving to enhance the aboriginal cultural, education, services and employability in the community through community based organizations and businesses. Respected elder Lorelei Hawkins and Indiginous Plant Diva Cease Wyss from Vancouver Native Health Society will be hosting a healing tent, with smudge and brush off as well as discussion and exploration of the healing properties of local plants - via traditions handed down by generations of this land's First People. The PHS Community Services Society began around a kitchen table in Strathcona in 1991.
The mission was to improve the community for everyone by providing affordable, low-barrier supportive housing and services to marginalized people, many of whom suffer from mental illness, physical disabilities and addictions. These services now engage approximately 10,000 individuals and include a supervised injection facility, detox and addiction recovery services, a needle exchange depot, an art gallery, life skills training, a bank and low threshold employment in a number of areas. PHS also employs approximately 450 people, many of whom also live in Strathcona and contribute to this vibrant community.
The PHS Society and PHS LifeSkills have been integral in helping to put our festival together, and providing materials and logistical support. Home to the first substantial Jewish public building in Vancouver — the Schara Tzedeck Synagogue, Strathcona was home to many of the city's pioneering Jewish families and subsequent immigrants. From the 1890s to the 1920s a wave of Eastern European immigration made Strathcona the new centre of British Columbia’s Jewish population. In Strathcona, the Eastern European Jewish immigrants shared the Yiddish language, a religion, and concerns common to new immigrants in a foreign land. They soon established a synagogue, a mikvah (ritual bath), and cheder (Hebrew school) to meet their religious needs. First Church has always served those in need. During the Depression of the 1930’s soup lines surrounded the building and Rev. Andrew Roddan led soup kichen missions to the "hobo jungles" of the False Creek Flats. Small businesses were created and people were employed by First Church Welfare Industries, which rebuilt small appliances and repaired furniture. Throughout its history, social workers, prison visitors and ethnic ministries from First United have been active in the community and were instrumental in the birthing of many community organizations. We are proud to embrace First United as an important part of our festival and community Representing neighbouring Chinatown and the rich heritage of Chinese culture reflected in the soul and everyday life of Strathcona, we're very pleased to have the Merchants Association and BIA at the event. Vancouver Chinatown tops the list as one of North America's cleanest modern day Chinatowns. Universally appealing to visitors, artists and people of all nationalities, where one can sample world- renowned Chinese delicacies and savor the rich ethnicity of a culture that has surpassed generations. Chinatown fascinates with its' striking collection of designated heritage buildings and tales that unfold the drama and link to the life of early Chinese pioneers. The Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC) in Vancouver has been an integral part of its community for generations. Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2008, it continues to provide a cultural link to its members: Vancouver Folk Orchestra, which is the largest of its kind in the Lower Mainland; an impressive performing dance troupe, Dovbush; and Barvinok Choir, a large and active group of men and women. The AUUC School of Dancing, for children aged 3-16 years, reflects the diversity of our city and draws people from throughout the neighbourhood as well as across the Lower Mainland, who seek out its precise and creative instruction.
The Ukrainian Hall at Hawks and Pender has been an integral part of the community since the 1930's and we are honoured to have tehm present and perform at our festival. Hayne Wai arrived from Hong Kong as a young child in the early 1950’s and lived with his grandparents on 713 East Georgia Street. The family moved to the west side of Vancouver but Hayne was to return in 1973 to work for the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association (SPOTA) in its urban rehabilitation and non-profit housing programs. These photographs were taking in the spring 1973 and convey the vitality of the Strathcona community. Hayne has researched and authored articles on Strathcona and Chinatown, and is a past president of the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC. Hayne has graciously provided us photos from his personal collection that we will be displaying at the eventPictured: sports day at Strathcona School circa 1973 Louise Francis-Smith born and raised in New Zealand, works as an artist and photographer in Vancouver, Canada. Her current works include intimate portraits of Historic Chinatown and Strathcona as it looked 30 years ago captured before the many antiquated character homes, fade from our memory. The photographs are engaging accounts of these areas, from disrepair, decline, to gentrification and Strathcona, a model for everything downtown living can be.
Louise will be showing images from her photographic retrospective series "Full Frontals, Rear Views" chronicling disappearing Strathcona. Shannon Harvey created Monkey100 five years ago as a public art project. With a background in murals and collaborative art practices, she was interested in finding ways to reach a wider audience on important social/environmental issues. She loved the idea of every person's potential to 'be that 100th monkey', the tipping point for massive social change. She prints t-shirts, cards and limited edition posters from her Strathcona based studio. When it's not a studio, it's Chalk Xchange, a creative commons providing workshops, events and learning opportunities to the neighborhood.
To learn more about Monkey100 visit:
mky100.com
To find out more about Chalk Xchange visit:
chalkx.com
Shannon has graciously donated her whimsical design homage to the spirit and history of Strathcona to be available for sale at the event as a limited edition t-shirt Hogan’s Alley Poetry Festival is a celebration of diverse communities in Vancouver through literary performance, spoken word and storytelling. The Black Dot Roots and Culture Collective with the support of the National Congress of Black Women are collaborating to pay tribute to the heritage and creative contributions of Vancouver’s East End community as a part of the city’s year-long 125th Anniversary activities. The program of the Hogan’s Alley Poetry Festival will highlight the cultural impact of the neighbourhood. Events will showcase poetry and other forms of artistic expression as well as facilitate space for dialogue and civic engagement.
This is Strathcona is excited to be collaborating with Black Dot Roots & Culture Collective, integrating the Poetry Festival with our stage and events. For a full schedule of Hogan's Alley Poetry Festival Events please visit Black Dot Collective Learn about the contribution of Italian immigrants to Vancouver, and their enduring connection to Strathcona, home to Vancouver's first Little Italy. First Aid at our MacLean Park event is being provided by St. John Ambulance, a charitable volunteer-driven organization dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services across Canada and the world. Representing Strathcona's rich Japanese-Canadian history, Tonari Gumi is a grassroots charitable organization providing programs for seniors, building capacity to volunteer, and bringing generations together to share and celebrate Japanese culture. Tonari Gumi has been providing a wide array of programs and services of benefit to the Japanese Canadian community for over 35 years in both Japanese and English. Bring your bike!
VanCycle Mobile Bicycle Shop is a local Strathcona-owned company serving cyclists of all ages, skills, and experience. Their mobile service truck brings a full-service shop to home, workplace, or other location (repairs are done in their truck) and offer a full range of repairs and sales for all your cycling needs.
VanCycle Mobile Bike Shop will be providing complimentary bike-tune ups in MacLean Park throughout the day! From its roots in Strathcona some 15 years ago, The East Side Culture Crawl now involves more than 10,000 people visiting artists in their studios in the area bounded by Main Street to Victoria Drive and from First Avenue north to the waterfront.
The Eastside Culture Crawl Society provides opportunities for the public to engage with member artists through the ongoing creation of events and programming that support the growth of east side artists. The Crawl is an integral part of the Strathcona creative community, and one of the founding community partners of this event. A month of children’s art classes, sponsored by Strathcona Community Centre. The project culminates in the creation and installation of a 3D, community map of light, colour and form.
This project has been made possible through the City of Vancouver’s Community and Neighbourhood Arts Development Program.. More information»

more to come..