In celebration of Vancouver Asian Heritage Month, Japanese flutist and Burnaby resident Minoru Yamamoto will join the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra and international guest musicians for a special Japanese music concert this weekend.
The Chrysanthemums and Maple Leaves concert will take place on Sunday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Nikkei National Cultural Centre and Museum in Burnaby.
A quartet comprised of Yamamoto, Naomi Sato, and other Lower Mainland Japanese musicians, Yuriko Nariya and Kozue Matsumoto, will perform a concert of traditional Japanese music and contemporary Japanese/ Canadian compositions.
At the concert this weekend, the inter-cultural orchestra and the Nikkei Centre will also co-present world-renowned Noh performer Tsunao Yamai, who will be appearing in Vancouver as part of his "Noh Meets Canada" tour, produced by the consulate-general of Japan in Vancouver with support from the Japanese Agency of Cultural Affairs.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students, available at www. vi-co.org or in person at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, 6688 Southoaks Cresc.
European Festival celebrates 16th anniversary in Burnaby
This year's European Festival in Burnaby is bigger than ever with two full days of all things European on May 25 and 26 at Swangard Stadium.
The 16th annual event will include representation from 30 different countries, with food, concerts, dances, cultural displays and other entertainment for all ages.
On the Saturday, the evening entertainment will come from ABBA tribute band ABRA Cadabra, and Beatles tribute band The Fab Fourever.
On the Sunday, ABRA Cadabra will give a reprise afternoon performance.
For kids, there will be a myriad of games and activities, including mini-golf, face painting, Ukranian egg painting, arts and crafts, a climbing wall, bouncy castle, as well as puppet shows and a children's theatre performance.
The festival runs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 25 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 26.
Gates open at 10: 30 a.m. both days at Swangard Stadium, at the corner of Boundary Rd. and Kingsway.
Admission is $10 per day, or $15 for the weekend, or $8 per day or $14 for the weekend, if tickets are purchased in advance. Children under 12 get in free.
For more information, visit www.eurofestbcsoci ety.com.
CITY WRITER WINS CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD
Burnaby resident Ellen Schwartz recently took home the Rocky Mountain Book Award for her latest kids' book, The Case of the Missing Deed. This prize was for the Alberta children's choice award.
Children from across the province read from a shortlist of nominated books and voted for their favourite. Schwartz's book is a culinary mystery for kids ages eight to 13, which has recipes woven into the story. The author's daughter, Merri Schwartz, a professional pastry chef, supplied the recipes for the book.
