Surrey’s celebration to recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day will be back in Cloverdale this year.
The event, set for June 21 from 2-7 p.m., will be hosted by the Semiahmoo, Kwantlen, and Katzie First Nations in the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
In a press release issued June 4, Mayor Brenda Locke said she was “excited” to welcome people to the event once again and she was looking forward to celebrating with everyone.
“This event is a special opportunity for us to come together and honour the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Indigenous Peoples, both past and present,” she said in the release. “It's a chance for us to learn, grow, and build stronger relationships with our Indigenous communities, and to show our respect for the ancestral territories of the Coast Salish Peoples.”
Locke said she was “grateful” for the leadership of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, and Kwantlen First Nations in hosting the Surrey event.
“O Siam e Nes Chalacha Siam. The National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration and Wellness Event is an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the diverse Indigenous cultures of these lands,” Harley Chappell, elected Chief of Semiahmoo First Nation, said in the release. “We also want to acknowledge the supporting pillars of this event: Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association and City of Surrey.”
The celebration will feature cultural sharing with teachings and practice through art, music, storytelling and dance by local First Nations, including XiQuelem, (Eugene Harry), Jade Turner, Wild River Singers, Art Napoleon, and others.
There will also be free shuttle service from King George SkyTrain Station to and from the Fairgrounds. Service will begin at 1 p.m. and will run non-stop to the amphitheatre. The last bus will leave the Fairgrounds for King George at 7:45 p.m.
Event schedule:
2 p.m. - Cultural Sharing
3 p.m. - First Nations Welcome
3:45-6:30 p.m. - Cultural Sharing
4-6 p.m. - Community Kitchen
6:30-7 p.m. - Closing Ceremony
For more info, visit surrey.ca/IndigenousPeoplesDay.
The Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre is located at 17728 64th Avenue on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
