Viet Summer Festival celebrates Canada 150 at Nathan Phillips Square

Yorkregion.com
July 7, 2017

Viet Summer Festival 2017 is celebrating this country's 150th anniversary at Nathan Phillips Square Sunday, July 9.

Event organizers, the Vietnamese Association, Toronto (VAT), anticipate 80,000 Vietnamese Canadians will arrive to the festival in downtown Toronto.

Visitors will enjoy a fun-filled day with family-friendly entertainment featuring Vietnamese cultural performances, delectable snacks and treats, ao dai (Vietnamese national costume) fashion show, magic show and dancing.

" We would like to thank Canada, our extended Canadian families and friends who opened their hearts and greeted us with open arms in our darkest days after the fall of Saigon some 40 years ago," VAT president Dr. Kien Le said in a news release. "In the spirit of multiculturalism and celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary, we would like to continue sharing our history, culture and traditions to create a better understanding and to promote multiculturalism in Canada."

Musical performances will feature internationally renowned Vietnamese singers Mai Thanh Son, Don Ho and Diem Lien, and a mix of local youth artists performing hip hop, rap and progressive rock. An opening ceremony will include such dignitaries as Toronto Mayor John Tory, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed Hussen and more.

The festival runs from noon to 8 p.m. Visit www.vatoronto.ca for more information.