Powell Street Festival Outing at Oppenheimer Park"

On August 2nd, our Senior Mental Enrichment Program attended the annual Powell Street Festival at Oppenheimer Park, a vibrant celebration of Japanese Canadian arts and culture. The participants had a rich cultural experience, enjoying powerful taiko drumming, sumo demonstrations, tea ceremonies, and a wide variety of traditional Japanese street food. One of the highlights was witnessing the energetic procession of a traditional mikoshi (portable shrine), as dozens of individuals moved in unison, chanting loudly while carrying the hundreds-of-kilograms shrine around the grounds. Participants also enjoyed exploring vendor stalls filled with delicious Japanese cuisine and charming handmade crafts, perfect for discovering unique treasures. Some even had the opportunity to try on beautiful Japanese yukata robes and learn traditional dances.