The African Descent Festival is one of Vancouver’s leading arts festivals, bringing together communities from across Vancouver and Canada, promoting tourism and reflecting Vancouver’s values as a harbour for celebrating diversity, arts, ideas and culture. With two full days of live music, artisans, heritage performers, food vendors, arts & crafts and fashion shows, the Festival celebrates the cultural diversity of people of African Descent.

The Festival aims to reinvigorate the history of those of African Descent in British Columbia, Vancouver, notably in areas like “Black Strathcona,” which includes Hogan’s Alley: the once thriving centre for people of African Descent in Vancouver that was destroyed in 1972 with the construction of the Georgia Viaduct.

Although the festival is able to attract acclaimed headlining global talent, this two-day event is also a chance for local artists to have a performance outlet: the African Descent Festival also aims to showcase local and up-and-coming African Descent artists who may not otherwise get so many opportunities to perform in front of a large audience (both in person and through live streaming).