Bannock to beads, ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire features a range of vendors, September 14
Also appearing at the Indigenous-led festival are makers of everything from clothing to cookies
Sweetgrass Soap.
Up the River Baking.
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and Musqueam present ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire on September 14 from 12 pm to 7 pm
CELEIGH CARDINAL, DIGAWOLF, and Hayley Wallis are just some of the artists performing at ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire, a free, family-friendly Indigenous-led festival taking place on September 14 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) territory. There’s also a long list of vendors who will be on-site with everything from bannock to beads.
Consider Up the River Baking, an Indigenous woman-owned business of self-taught cookie artists. They make sugar cookies in all kinds of shapes and styles, each one decorated in detail. Among the varieties that will be available at ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl: Come Toward the Fire are those with orange icing and the phrase “Every child matters”. Proceeds will be going to the All Nations Outreach Society, a nonprofit group that provides support to people living in the Downtown Eastside through a weekly lunch program.
Then there’s Golden Bannock, which makes the famous fry bread and serves burgers and Indian tacos atop thick slices of it.
Other food vendors include Mahshiko, which serves up healthy Korean food; Juicy Green Express Inc., which carries drinks like lemonade and bubble tea; and Shameless Buns, which specializes in Filipino cuisine.
Amanda Ruth Beads.
Then there are vendors selling other, nonedible goods, such as Native by Nature, a clothing brand that fuses urban hip-hop style and Indigenous heritage; Sweetgrass Soap, a skin-care line that includes body butter and sugar scrubs; and Amanda Ruth Beads, a collection of beaded earrings and other jewellery. Beadwork is also the basis of little Métis things, which sells earrings, medallions, and lanyards.
Ryan Hughes is the Snuneymuxw First Nation artist behind Ryan Salish Art; look for so many carvings on materials like yellow- and red-cedar discs. Love the Land Apparel is a sister company of Talaysay Tours; owned by Candace Campo, it features hoodies, shirts, sweatpants, hats, tuques, and more.
Two Indigenous-owned booksellers will be at the festival: Iron Dog Books and Massy Books. ![]()
Gail Johnson is cofounder of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.
Related Articles
Quick takes on three atmospheric works: Modus Operandi’s Wound, Dance//Novella’s Soft Animals, and O.Dela Arts’ Where You Go
At this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival, the two acclaimed trumpeters find unique ways of expressing the legend’s enduring influence
From world-renowned folk, jazz, and classical musicians to up-and-coming local dance performers and visual artists, make it your goal this summer to catch them all
Marquee Series concert showcases the tenor saxophonist’s sonic innovation and Chicago roots, in homage to a true legend
Intriguing programming ranges from majestic Holst and Berlioz to a contemporary work dedicated to craft brews, plus a beachfront finale
New art-making opportunities and expanded art walks are part of the programming just announced
Ashley Wright has helmed it himself, but in Bard on the Beach’s new production, he plays Shakespeare’s dissolute knight under the capable direction of Rebecca Northan
Joined by his ensemble, the expressive artist pairs songs off his latest album with music inspired by his involvement in a Miles Davis biopic
The festival will include the premiere of Imant Raminsh’s Where Wildness Lives, a choral work dedicated to the artistic director’s late father
At Dancing on the Edge, Alexis Fletcher and Sylvain Senez develop a new piece alongside one by Ballet BC’s Sid Chuckas
Boca del Lupo and ArtstageSAN’s show at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival is more of an immersive experience than a plot-driven play
Outdoor show on July 25, part of the larger fest, also features Big Rig and DJ Jody Glenham
The choreographer and performer’s character-driven Dancing on the Edge piece is informed by his perspective as the child of a deaf parent
Programming spans ticketed concerts, an outdoor community performance, masterclasses, and more
Megan Milton’s Free Kittens and William Rubel’s Robin Redbreast in a Cage converge on close human relationships in an age of reality TV and AI
Visit 45 participating sites free of charge, including art galleries, places of worship, historic shipyards, and civic facilities
Marquee Series act is known for its ’70s-punk roots and ever-evolving sound
Stephen Drover directs his own haunting adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy, laced with tyranny and moral corruption
Boca del Lupo returns to the outdoor stage in partnership with Korean puppet masters for five-metre-tall spectacle
Performers at the 2026 edition include Uncle Strut, Felisha and the Jazz Rejects, Art d’Ecco, Brass Camel, Rich Hope, and many more
Artists hitting Jericho Beach Park range from Denmark’s Tina Dico and Ukraine’s Yagódy to Portland’s Anna Tivel and Jeffrey Martin
