Pre-Festival Events

Workshop
SALISH SINGING & DRUMMING with Russell Wallace
Tuesday October 18, 7pm – 9pm
Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre, SFU Woodwards, 149 W. Hastings
Drop-in. Free
Everyone welcome! Join instructor Russell Wallace to learn social songs, drumming and dance. Russell is a composer, producer and a traditional Lil’wat singer. Currently Russell works and teaches at the Native Education russell-wallace-coastal-drumming-workshopCollege, and works for SFU’s Office for Aboriginal Peoples for which he holds these Singing & Drumming workshops. This is a monthly workshop – watch for it again on November 22. Presented by SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement. Suitable for all ages and abilities. Free and open to the public on a drop-in basis.


Workshop
DAY OF THE DEAD CREATIVE SESSION
Wednesday October 19, 1pm – 4pm
Oppenheimer Park, 488 Powell
Free
Every Wednesday in October, join Diane Wood, Rosemary Georgeson, Jesus Cristobal and Karen Thorpe to make rattles and traditional Latin American decorations in preparation for the Day of the Dead Fiesta on November 2.Share memories of our missing and murdered friends as part of the DTES Women’s Memorial Quilt project http://thisvancouver.vpl.ca/#remembering-our-dtes-women


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Film/Video
COMMON THREADS: Short Films from the Heart of Our City 
Thursday October 20, 7pm – 10pm (doors at 6:30pm)
Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, SFU Woodward’s, 149 W. Hastings
Youth under 18 $5, General $15
Celebrate incredibly talented local filmmakers at Reel Causes’ first-ever program of short films. This evening of film is dedicated to the intersections of our communities and we are thrilled to highlight the work of Intersections Media Opportunities for Youth Society.

We will also screen the Vancouver premiere of Jacqui Gould’s short drama Victory Square, drawn from personal experiences of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside; Kate Green’s award-winning Not A Stranger, a local documentary that explores how we can build human connections in a seemingly disconnected city; and shorts from the local independent social justice filmmaking team Love Intersections. Join Intersections Media and the filmmakers after the films for a conversation about the common threads that weave together these diverse communities at the heart of our city. Tickets available through universe.com (includes an additional service charge) or at the door.


Opera
SNEAK PREVIEW: MOZART’S LOST OPERAS COME TO CARNEGIE
Saturday October 22, 3pm – 5pm
Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main
Free
lost-operas-of-mozart-city-opera-3-photo-emily-cooperJoin City Opera Vancouver for a sneak preview of its first comedy, The Lost Operas of Mozart. The show offers music no one knows – from the most famous composer of all time, re-constructing three operas Mozart began, but never finished. Two are Italian comedies and the third is a German romance. Starring Bramwell Tovey as The Impresario, joined by singers Robyn Driedger-Klassen, Elaina Moreau, Rose-Ellen Nichols, Frédérik Robert, Samuel Chan, Alan MacDonald and Michael MacKinnon. With pianist Roger Parton. Concept and stage direction by Alan Corbishley, original script by Maria Reva, conducted by Charles Barber. Co-presented by the DTES Heart of the City Festival and City Opera Vancouver. For more info: cityoperavancouver.com


Television
DTES MUSIC THEATRE SHOWCASE Part One
Monday October 24, 12am – 1am
Tuesday October 25, 8pm – 9pm
Shaw Cable 4
“Shamelessly promoting our friends and community!” Presented by ACCESS Television, community television in Vancouver BC that focuses on marginalized voices and produced by volunteers. This year, ACCESS TV broadcasts a wonderful re-edited broadcast of the DTES Music Theatre Showcase presented during the 2009 Heart of the City Festival on stage at the Russian Hall. Part One will broadcast Oct 24 (midnight), Oct 25 (8pm), Oct 29 (11pm) and Oct 30 (3pm). Part Two will broadcast Oct 31 (midnight), Nov 1 (8pm), Nov 5 (11pm) and Nov 6 (3pm).

See October 29 for full description.


Community Celebration
CEDAR TREE CEREMONY
Tuesday October 25, 1pm – 4pm
Oppenheimer Park, 488 Powell
Free
Come and join us as we plant and honour a cedar tree at Oppenheimer Park. This is part of the Commemoration Features recognizing that Oppenheimer Park is on unceded territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueum Nations. Everyone welcome.