Now in its 16th edition, Indian Summer Festival brings a bold and expansive program to Vancouver — and Granville Island sits at the very heart of it. Under the theme Ragas for a Ruptured World, the festival is a defiant celebration of South Asian arts, ideas, and collective possibility.
Granville Island’s Waterfront Theatre hosts two unmissable evenings. On July 10, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and writer Julian Brave NoiseCat will discuss his acclaimed debut memoir We Survived the Night, a bestselling exploration of Indigenous life and intergenerational reckoning, in conversation with Festival Executive Artistic Director Am Johal. On July 16, novelist Sonora Jha joins author Minelle Mahtani for a lively literary exchange around Jha’s provocative new novel Intemperance, followed by a book signing.
Also at the Waterfront Theatre on July 16, IGNITE! — the festival’s beloved emerging artists showcase — with five dynamic voices presenting Pecha Kucha-style, hosted by Memphis-born storyteller Arthur Flowers.
Ocean Artworks Pavilion comes alive on July 12 with Tiffin Talks, a daylong dialogue series bringing together artists, thinkers, and innovators across three sessions exploring myth, memory, migration, and reimagined futures. On July 17, the same venue transforms into a departure lounge for Imaginal Airlines, an otherworldly immersive sonic experience equal parts concert and meditation.
Meanwhile, The Fishbowl stages the world premiere of Why We Work Out, an electrifying new immersive performance by celebrated actor and playwright Anita Majumdar, running July 15–18.
Beyond Granville Island, the festival extends across the city with an equally compelling program. The Vancouver Playhouse hosts two mainstage performances — the Vancouver debut of Sri Lankan comedian Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa on Opening Night (July 9), and genre-defying Punjabi singer and composer Rashmeet Kaur on July 11, making her first-ever North American tour stop. At VanDusen Botanical Garden on July 13, Tarun Nayar of Modern Biology transforms plant bioelectricity into live, improvised sound in an enchanting outdoor setting. Comedy fans won’t want to miss Abby Govindan at The Rio Theatre on July 15, while Ragas Reimagined at Surrey Arts Centre (July 17) and the Mohamed Assani Quartet at the Ismaili Centre Vancouver (July 18) round out an extraordinary and wide-ranging festival program.
For tickets and full programming, visit indiansummerfest.ca.
