FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO – June 19, 2014
NEWS RELEASE: 8th Annual Multicultural Canada Day Celebration – Yonge Dundas Square July 1, 2014
The Community Folk Art Council of Toronto, a non-for-profit organization, is proud to present the 8th Annual Multicultural Canada Day Celebration at Yonge Dundas Square.
We are honored that Toronto Mayoral Candidate – OLIVA CHOW will be opening our Multicultural Canada Day celebration at 12:00pm – followed by the singing of O’Canada and a performance from Canadian First Nations dance ensemble Red Spirit Dancers.
We will be showcasing many ethnically diverse dance groups that will present 30-minute ethnic folk dance performances on the main stage. The Community Folk Art Council, for some 40 years is the acknowledged leader in promoting the traditional arts in Toronto.
This festival will be showcasing multicultural folkdance, arts and craft, foods and traditions. This festival features different cultures and ethnic groups that make Toronto a great place to live. At this event you will be able enjoy the performing arts, visual arts, crafts, dancing, information and foods representing cultures from around the globe that have made Canada, and Toronto their new home.
The countries represented in this year’s celebration are: Canada- First Nations, Canada, Brazil, Egypt, Serbia, Kurdish, Columbian, Mexico, Ethiopia, East Africa, Ghana, China, Hawaii, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Our 2-headliner bands at 7 and 8pm include: DeVah Quartet and SHAWNEE.
Aboriginal Canadian powerhouse artist and female singer/songwriter, SHAWNEE is an award winning international touring performer. She has performed on stages with Lady GaGa, Glass Tiger, Roxette and Tegan and Sara during the 2014 Juno awards. Her music is filled with passion, energy and inspiration. The video for her latest single Mirror Me was added to Much Music earlier this year and she appeared vocally on the Disney hit TV show (The Next Step) with song “Turn Me Around”. This summer Shawnee will hit stages across Canada including World Pride 2014 in Toronto. Shawnee is a strong advocate for LGBT and Women’s rights her music inspires strength and empowerment. She has recently released her debut EP “Let It Burn” recorded with the Grammy Award winning producer Tim Thorney.
Event: 8th Annual Multicultural Canada Day Celebration
Where: Yonge Dundas Square
When: Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Starting Time: 12:00 Opening Ceremonies with Olivia Chow
End of show: 9:00pm
Fee: FREE
Wheelchair Accessible
At this Canada Day celebration you will be able enjoy the performing arts, visual arts, crafts, dancing, information and foods representing cultures from around the globe. With special events just for kids, it’s great (free) family entertainment!
The Community Folk Art Council of Toronto was incorporated in 1968 as a registered, non-profit charitable organization. The Community Folk Art Council of Metropolitan Toronto has as its mandate to ‘promote the preservation, development and advancement of the cultural and artistic heritage of the people of Toronto’. A not-for-profit, charitable organization, CFAC enriches Toronto by presenting the heritage of some 91 nationalities found in our city. The Community Folk Art Council of Toronto serves the Greater Toronto Area but draws its members from throughout Ontario. Almost forty years ago, the Council’s first accomplishment was to bring together some 30 different ethnic communities to display their respective Easter traditions at Toronto’s Old City Hall. The success of the event, drawing crowds from both ‘mainstream’ and ‘ethnic’ communities encouraged the Council to produce a similar display of Christmas customs at ‘Christmas around the World’. These events have since become an annual tradition in Toronto. In 1969 Metro International Caravan, Toronto’s summer festival of international culture, was founded and in 1972, Metro International Caravan became a separate organization.
MAIN STAGE SHOW
12:00- 12:10 “Opening Ceremonies – VIP’s Opening speeches and Singing of O Canada featuring Jasmine Ragual”
12:10-12:40 First Nations – Red Spirit Dancers
1:00-1:30 Alana Cline- Canadian Celtic Music
1:30-2:00 Dilan Kurdish Dance Company
2:00-2:30 Nhapitapi African Dance
3:00-3:30 Alana Cline- Canadian Celtic Music
3:30-4:00 Sebseb Belu Ethiopean Dance
4:00-4:30 Cabildo Colombian Folk Dance Group
4:30-5:00 The Hawaiian Pacific Magic
5:00-5:30 Brazilian Dance
5:30-6:00 Academy of Serbian Dance
6:00-6:30 Habeeba Hobeika Egyptian Dance
6:30-7:00 LIVE Line Dancing Instruction with Vivian Scott
7:00-7:30 deVah Quartet- Electric String Quartet
7:30-8:00 LIVE Line Dancing Instruction with Vivian Scott
8:00-9:00 SHAWNEE – Singer and Back up band and Dancers
* Program subject to change
Canada Day is Funded by Canadian Heritage, City of Toronto and OMNI Television.