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Two of Canada’s top musical acts will take to the stage Aug. 30 and 31 at the 2019 Richmond World Festival in Minoru Park.

Photo courtesy City of Richmond

The Strumbellas, Bedouin Soundclash to headline World Fest

By Don Fennell

Published 4:51 PDT, Wed July 17, 2019

Last Updated: 2:13 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021

When Richmond World Festival was launched five years ago as the city’s newest signature event and first major multicultural celebration, it was destined to be a winner.

When Richmond World Festival was launched five years ago as the city’s newest signature event and first major multicultural celebration, it was destined to be a winner.

Even before its first anniversary, the festival had already been recognized as one of Canada’s most outstanding events.

“We always felt it would be a big success,” says Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “First of all it’s on Labour Day weekend, and it celebrates our diversity.”

Two Canadian musical chart-toppers, one an alternative-radio mainstay and the other enjoying huge international play, will headline this year’s musical lineup Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31 in Minoru Park. Bedouin Soundclash, formed in Toronto in 2008, serves up an engaging reggae-pop style that will captivate fairgoers Friday evening. Then on Saturday, The Strumbellas, well-known for their 2017 Juno-winning single Spirits, will close the festival with their mix of alternative country, indie rock, farm emo (today’s country) and gothic folk. The band released their fourth studio album, Rattlensake, March 29 and performed the first single, Salvation, on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

With over 100 acts on eight stages, the Richmond World Festival will also feature many community-based cultural groups and dance troupes. Be sure also to keep your eyes open for Cultural Pavilion Pod Pop-Ups.

Other big-name supporting acts and festival additions will be also be announced in the coming weeks.

Exploring the different activities around the grounds is sure to work up an appetite. And visitors will be able to experience culture through food at the FEASTival of Flavours, a food festival within the festival. This year’s festival welcomes the largest number of food trucks in the event’s history with over 60 food trucks expected.

Boasting a great diversity of backgrounds, with over 150 different ethnic origins, Richmond is actively involved in building cultural harmony. The Richmond World Festival reflects this.

“Richmond’s cultural diversity and harmony is something to celebrate,” says Brodie. “The Richmond World Festival has been bringing people together for five years through music, food, dance and art which is why it has become a can’t-miss date on everyone’s summer events calendar.”

The Richmond World Festival will be held from 4 to 10 p.m. Aug. 30 and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 31. The festival is produced by the City of Richmond and presented by Coast Capital Savings. Stage and zone sponsors are Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Tourism Richmond, Cowell Auto Group, CF Richmond Centre, Vanprop Investments Ltd and McElhanney. Community sponsors are Kwantlen Polytechnic University and FortisBC.