"What the Heck is" introduces you to local organizations and causes you might not have yet heard about, written from an insider's point of view by folks working within them. View the archive HERE.
Hapa-palooza is a cultural festival that celebrates mixed-roots arts and ideas. Now in its fourth year, Hapa-palooza is Canada’s largest festival celebrating and stimulating awareness of mixed heritage and hybrid identity.
Held annually in Vancouver, a diverse city that celebrates hybridity, synergy and acceptance, Hapa-palooza Festival embraces the word ‘Hapa,’ of Hawaiian origins, as a broad term for people identifying as having mixed heritage. Hosted by the Hybrid Ancestry Public Arts (HAPA) Society, Hapa-palooza Festival features an unprecedented array of mixed-heritage artists in the mediums of film, music, visual and literary arts.
This year's festival welcomes all people to 7 free public events during September 23 to 28, 2014 including a festival first for Hapa-palooza, the Hapa-palooza Pop-Up shop & Hyphen Art Exhibit featuring photographer Hana Pesut and artists Jana Sasaki, Nargis Dhirani and Sunkosi Maya.
Check out hapapalooza.com for the festival's full schedule and programming details and keep up with all things #Hapapalooza on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
THE HAPA SOCIETY IS PROUD TO PRESENT THE FOLLOWING FREE EVENTS:
Hapa-palooza Pop-Up & Art Exhibit, Sep. 23-27, 12pm-6pm
Visit the 2014 Hapa-palooza Festival Headquarters open noon to 6pm daily for the Hyphen Art Exhibit featuring four talented Hapa artists, including work from acclaimed photographer Hana Pesut and Vancouver artists Jana Sasaki, Nargis Dhirani and Sunkosi Maya. It is also a place to check out festival goodies, such as acclaimed artist and author Kip Fulbeck’s book Part Asian, 100% Hapa, festival merchandise and your very own Hip Hapa Hooray T-shirts. Come by on Sat. Sep. 27 at 1pm for an artist talk with participating artists.
Location: thisopenspace, 230 East Pender Street, Free Event
Mixed Voices Raised, Wednesday Sep. 24, 7pm-8:30pm
An evening of stories from the heart: Join 8 dynamic storytellers including CBC radio host Margaret Gallagher, Delhi2Dublin's Tarun Nayar, slam poet champion Sebastien Wen, poet Jonina Kirton, artist and facilitator Vanessa Richards, activist Kathryn Lennon, Talking Stick Festival director Aeryn Williams, and community organizer Angela Kruger as they share true tales from the heart about their experiences growing up with mixed heritage. Curated by Ricepaper Magazine editor and festival co-founder Anna Ling Kaye.
Location: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, Alice MacKay Room, Free Event
Mixed Flicks, Thursday Sep. 25, 7pm-8:30pm
Hapa-palooza Festival brings back this much loved event, curated by award-winning filmmaker Jeff Chiba Stearns. Acclaimed American artist, filmmaker and author Kip Fulbeck will present his 1991 landmark film on Hapa identity, Banana Split. Including an exclusive 12-minute sneak preview of Jeff's upcoming feature length documentary Mixed Match. Following the screening, Jeff and Kip will engage in a passionate discussion about the importance of multiethnic media and the role it plays in stimulating dialogue and discussion in the mixed-race community. Audience Q&A and books/DVDs signing to follow.
Location: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, Alice MacKay Room, Free Event
Hapa-palooza Pop-Up & Hyphen Art Exhibit Party, Friday Sep. 26, 7pm-10pm
Join us for a party at the 2014 Hapa-palooza Festival Headquarters to groove to hip Hapa DJ duo Spirit ANML, marvel at the Hyphen Art Exhibit, enjoy Hapa Tapas by Michael Tora Speier, meet Hapa-palooza organizers and check out festival swag. It’s like a full ‘Hapa’ goody bag.
Location: thisopenspace, 230 East Pender Street, Free Event
Hip Hapa Hooray! Awards Reception, Saturday Sep. 27, 4pm-7pm
Hip Hapa Hooray! is the Hapa-palooza Awards Reception recognizing outstanding community members of mixed heritage. This year's inaugural Hapa-palooza award recipients are Ann Makosinski (youth inventor of the hollow flashlight that runs on human heat and 2013 Google Science Fair winner), Kip Fulbeck (US award-winning artist, activist, actor and author) and Fred Wah (Governor General's Award Winner and Canada's fifth Parliamentary Poet Laureate). This event also marks the Nikkei National Museum’s opening for Kip Fulbeck’s "Part Asian - 100% HAPA" photography exhibit. Live music by Buckman Coe.
Location: Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre, 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Co-Sponsored Free Event
Hapa Family Day in the Park, Sunday Sep. 28, 1pm-4pm
Join the family fun! Jump in with family friendly yoga starting at 1pm, followed with music by soulful singer and song-writer Green Tara at 2pm, and closing with the dynamic dance and music of Compaigni V'ni Dansi's Louis Riel Métis Dancers at 3pm. Throughout the event there will be fun family activities,
including ultimate balloons by Michael Ouchi, face painting, a photo booth, and an interactive art project celebrating our heritage.
Location: Granville Island Picnic Pavilion, adjacent to Cat’s Social House and waterpark
Dancing & A Movie, Sunday Sep. 28, 4pm-8:30pm
Come unwind after the festival with the Hapa-palooza crew at a free family-friendly dance and movie screening. The Vancouver Blues and Fusion Dancers and The Blues Cafe will be presenting a public dance with the city’s best blues & fusion dance DJs. The Vancouver Asian Film Festival and Hapa-palooza will be presenting a special film screening of Jeff Chiba Stearns' feature documentary, One Big Hapa Family, starting at 8pm with director Q&A to follow.
Location: Ache Brasil, 341 East Broadway Street