The Vancouver Ukulele Festival takes place this March and offers a smorgasbord of musical offerings for fans of the whimsical instrument.
The festival's creator Daphne ‘Ruby’ Roubini also owns the largest ukulele school outside of Hawaii. She started the festival 10 years ago, and continues to host the gathering today.
Ukelele/Shutterstock
The 2019 edition of the festival represents the culmination of a ten-year journey that began as a passion project. Now, the gathering has become one of the city’s iconic annual musical events.
“This year we decided to up the ante by taking over the whole of the Croatian Cultural Centre,” explains the Festival’s founder, Daphne Roubini.
“We’re delighted to accommodate the infectious love of the Ukulele that continues to grow here in Vancouver and globally. We’re welcoming performers and participants from all over the US and Canada now, so we’re incredibly excited to be presenting our biggest offering yet. We’re so happy with how this self-funded grass roots event continues to blossom and grow."
Guests may attend the Gala Concert on Friday, March 22, attend a two-day workshop on Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24, or do both.
Friday night concertgoers will be treated to Grammy Award-winning Hawaiian virtuoso Daniel Ho, as well as an exciting lineup of other performers. Following this, the weekend line-up includes a series of hands-on workshops, open-mics and jams. All levels of experience are welcome, from beginners to seasoned pros to everything in between.
“The word is definitely out. People know it’s going to be a great night. That goes for the performers too. The Ukulele community is very connected, so everyone understands that the Vancouver Ukulele Festival is an incredible event. We’re so excited to welcome artists of the calibre of Daniel Ho, Victoria Vox, Casey MacGill, Stu Fuchs, Del Rey, Daniel Ward and Heidi Swedberg. These are all virtuoso performers who will amaze and inspire concertgoers with everything the mighty uke can do. From pop to jazz to swing to Hawaiian to flamenco to folk to ragtime blues, there’s something for everyone. As a Ukulele lover, I can’t wait to hear them play. And as a Seinfeld fan, it’s an honour to welcome Heidi Swedberg back to Vancouver!”
Vancouver Ukulele Festival
When: Ukulele concert on March 22 from 7-10 pm; Workshops and more on March 23 & March 24 from 10 am - 6 pm.
Where: The Croatian Cultural Centre - 3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Cost: Concert $35 (at the door) $25 (in advance); Workshops and more for $299 (at the door) $249 (in advance).
You may purchase your tickets here.
