2009 Greek Day Festivities, Vancouver
2009 Greek Day Vancouver
Well known to the residents of Vancouver west side is the Greek Festival on Jun 21 every year. It is a family-oriented festival to celebrate the heritage and culture of Greek immigrants and their descendants.
Curious about how my neighbourhood Kitsilano became the center of the festival, I did a bit research, and here are some interesting findings:
- First Greek immigrants arrived in Vancouver in early 1920’s
- During and after World War II, more Greek refugees from Europe and western Canada came and congregated in the Kitsilano area of Vancouver, forming the ‘Greektown‘
- According to the 1971 Canada census, Greek was the second-most common language and ethnicity in the Kitsilano area (next to English and the British Isles)
- In 1974, the city of Vancouver sanctioned an annual Greek Day celebration on June 21
- During the 1980s, an influx of baby boomers, rising property prices, and Asian immigration began to significantly erode the Greek influence on the area. Many Greek businesses closed or moved out of the area
- In 2002, the percentage of Kitsilano residents speaking Greek as their mother language had reduced to 2 percent, fewer than those speaking English, Chinese, French, or German.
- As a result, many people, even Greeks do not have immediate knowledge of the ‘Greektown’
During the Greek Day, street vendors and live performance are among the highlights of the festival. To me, the most inspiring thing is to see the cheerful faces of children who perform on the stage, proudly living on the spirit and tradition of their ancestors. This is part of the multiculturalism of our city. When majorities and minorities come together despite of their background, ethnicity and language, we develop great understanding of humanity, and bring about positive change.
Greek day celebration
Street vendor at the Greek festival
Greek day celebration
2009 Greek Day, Vancouver
Folk dance performance in front of Chai, on 2009 Greek Day, Vancouver
