SURREY –Canadian music star Nelly Furtado and Canadian-Punjabi music-film star Aamrinder Gill will headline this year’s Surrey Fusion Festival.
The festival has announced the second wave of artists added to their 10th anniversary line up. Canadian Hockey Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser has been confirmed as flag bearer during the welcome ceremonies.
Gill will perform on July 23 in an expanded Indigenous programming has been added within the Canada 150 zone throughout the weekend.
Wickenheiser, the longest standing member of the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team, will bear Canada’s flag during the Welcome Ceremony & Parade of Cultures at 4:00 pm on Saturday, July 22.
Punjabi singer Gill will lead a South Asian entertainment celebration on Sunday, July 23, 4:30 pm, with support from Desi Sub Culture and top South Asian DJ on the West Coast, DJ Khanvict.
“2017 is milestone year for Surrey Fusion Festival, as it marks its 10th anniversary in conjunction with the celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday,” says Mayor Linda Hepner. “We are excited to have a star studded lineup which includes Canadian Hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser, international Punjabi star Amrinder Gill, and BC’s own Nelly Furtado as our featured headliner. As a marquee celebration of diversity, this year’s Fusion Festival also features an expanded South Asian and indigenous programming to support and reflect the rich vibrancy of our community.”
In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, Fusion Festival’s Canada 150 Zone has expanded to include programming from Metis, Inuit, West Coast First Nations and Prairie First Nations peoples throughout the two days. The Canada 150 stage will feature headline performances by Juno-award winners Crystal Shawanda and William Prince. Additionally, the Indigenous Village will offer traditional performances from Git Hayetsk Dancers, hoop dancing, basket weaving, live carving demonstrations and throat singing by Goota Desmarais & Jacqueline Koe.
