A Burnaby blues singer will be front and centre when the Heart of the City Festival returns to the Downtown Eastside this fall.
The 15th annual festival is running from Wednesday, Oct. 24 to Sunday, Nov. 4, featuring more than 100 events at more than 40 locations throughout the Downtown Eastside.
Among the highlight events is East End Blues & All That Jazz, a hit production produced by Vancouver Moving Theatre and written by the late Denis Simpson and Savannah Walling. It’s described as a “soul-stirring event of gospel and blues, jazz and memories that celebrates the life and contributions of Vancouver’s East End historic black residential community and the legendary Gibson family.”
Burnaby’s own Candus Churchill, one of Vancouver’s most noted gospel and blues singers, is featured alongside Tom Pickett, with MC and singer Khari Wendell McClelland, musicians Bill Costin on piano and Tim Stacey on bass, plus special guests Dalannah Gail Bowen and Thelma Gibson (who just celebrated her 90th birthday).
It’s onstage at the Firehall Arts Centre (280 East Cordova) from Wednesday, Oct. 31 to Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m., with a Nov. 3 matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $20, available at the door or in advance at 604-689-0926 or through tickets.firehallartscentre.ca.
Other festival highlights include the Spiderwoman Theater production of Material Witness, featuring three generations of Indigenous women performers; the acclaimed one-man show Call Mr. Robeson – A life, with songs; and the wind-up meal and concert deal at the Ukrainian Community Hall featuring The Sojourners, Solidarity Notes Labour Choir, Barvinok Choir, Vancouver Folk Ensemble and the Dovbush Dancers.
For more on the festival, see www.heartofthecityfestival.com.
