Fashion, Theatre and More Added to Diwali Fest 2016 Lineup

The Diwali Celebration Society, producers of Diwali Fest, has announced the artist lineup for the festival's signature events - "Diwali Downtown Vancouver" (October 29 at the Roundhouse) and "Diwali Downtown Surrey" (November 5 at Surrey City Hall).

Featuring diversity within the South Asian culture as well as the diversity of various other cultures within the Lower Mainland, this year's signature events welcomes Jacky Yenga & Friends for an African village experience; Karima Essa and Shiamak Vancouver for a Bollywood dance performance followed by an interactive workshop; and an Indian/Spanish dance hybrid featuring Karen Flamenco and her dance troupe. In addition to these performances, audiences will enjoy a special presentation by Miss Canada Petite, Alicia Ohana.

Fashion is a big part of Diwali. This time is one of the biggest shopping seasons in India and it is customary to wear something new on Diwali to symbolize a new year. Fashion will also be a focus at "Diwali Downtown Vancouver" on October 29 at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre with a fashion show by Parvesh Jai. Based in Vancouver, Parvesh Jai is a design duo with a global brand that incorporates ideas from different countries to create fusion looks. Named one of India's top 25 ethical designers, their style is a combined expression of seductive beauty, gaiety, unique charm and personified elegance. The fashion show will showcase Saris and Lehengas from their Fall Collection for Women and Fall Menswear lines.

The Diwali Fest theatre component, which includes Piya Behrupiya (October 11-22 at the York Theatre), The Magic Flute (October 15 & 16 at Vancouver Playhouse), and The Elephant Wrestler (November 1-5 at The Cultch), will also feature a first-ever theatre production for young audiences - Sultans of the Street (October 29 - November 13 at Waterfront Theatre). In association with Carousel Theatre for Young People and directed by Marcus Youssef, Sultans of the Street is a play about the lives of street children in another culture. Together they must work to escape servitude and set a course for a new life. An additional highlight to the Diwali Fest Theatre lineup, in partnership with Touchstone Theatre, is the Dora Award-winning production Brothel #9 (November 17-27 at Vancity Culture Lab). Provocative and moving, Brothel #9 is about the power of the human spirit and its ability to triumph in the face of corruption and suffering. Both Sultans of the Street and Brothel #9 are works by South Asian playwright Anusree Roy, a recipient of the 2011 Siminovitch Prize and a finalist for the 2012 Governor General's Award for Literary merit. Wrapping up the theatre component to this year's Diwali Fest, in partnership with the Firehall Arts Centre, is a staged reading of the play Bhopal (November 21 at Firehall Arts Centre) by Rahul Varma, based on the ongoing conversation of climate change in Vancouver and globally.

In addition to Diwali Fest Theatre and Diwali Fest Signature Events, the autumnal celebration will once again incorporate Diwali Fest Community Events to its programming. From culinary demonstrations at community centres to storytelling sessions at the Vancouver Public Library, and pop-up performances to workshops on rangoli design or Bollywood dancing, each community in the Lower Mainland will have an opportunity to experience the tastes, sights, and sounds of Diwali Fest. For a complete list of community events, visit diwalifest.ca/events-timeline.

Diwali is known as the festival of lights, a spiritual festival celebrated every autumn. Its spiritual significance is that of light over darkness, good over evil, and hope over despair. Diwali Fest celebrates this spiritual significance and strives to provide an artistic platform for local artists from various cultures, including the South Asian culture. The festival is committed to incorporating the inclusion of all cultures and communities with its theme of unity in diversity.

For more information, visit www.diwalifest.ca or follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/diwalifest and Twitter: www.twitter.com/diwalifest (#diwalifest).

Produced by the Diwali Celebration Society, Diwali Fest is an annual South Asian arts and culture festival that celebrates the universal light that exists in everyone. Diwali Fest originated in 2004 and has since evolved to become one of the largest Diwali-themed events in the Lower Mainland and a destination event on the city's cultural calendar. It strives to promote unity in diversity and showcases the best and brightest South Asian talent, exhibiting artistic innovation through a myriad of forms while engaging a wide community in an active and inclusive role. Each year's festival engages dozens of artists in events across the city, the majority of which are open and free to the general public, by donation, or at affordably priced tickets. Diwali Fest would not be possible without the generous support of its board members: Kriti Dewan, Gurdeep Birdi, Chirag Vesuvala, Sahil Bhrany, Soutomi Kundu, and Gurpreet Sian.