Three-day free festival to feature Mannat Noor, Manj Musik, Fuzön, Fateh Doe and more than 200 artists
The 11th annual Vibrant Brampton SummerFest is set to return to Gage Park from July 17 to 19, bringing its largest celebration yet of South Asian music, arts, food and culture to the city.
Organized by the Arts and Culture Initiative of South Asia (ACISA) and presented by TD, the free family festival is expanding to three outdoor days for the first time in its history. Festival organizers say the event will feature more than 200 Canadian and international artists, along with cultural workshops, visual arts, local food vendors, shopping and family-friendly activities.
“This year’s theme, ‘One World. Many Sounds,’ reflects what this festival has always represented—bringing people from different cultures, communities and generations together through music, art and shared experiences,” festival directors Ricky Bajaj, Sandeep Prabhakar and Arpan Banerjee said in a statement.
The festival opens on July 17 with Punjabi Tadka, headlined by acclaimed Punjabi playback singer Mannat Noor, whose hit Laung Laachi became the first Indian music video to surpass one billion YouTube views. Joining her is British-Indian singer, songwriter and producer Manj Musik, best known as a founding member of the bhangra group RDB.
On July 18, the festival continues with Desi Dhamaka, featuring Indian musical duo Antara Nandy and Ankita Nandy, along with Pakistani pop-rock band Fuzön, featuring Shallum Xavier and Khurram Iqbal.
The festival wraps up on July 19 with the debut of Root’d NXT Wave, a youth-focused showcase celebrating contemporary South Asian sounds through hip hop, rap, R&B and house music. Performers include Punjabi-Canadian rapper Fateh Doe, Babbulicious, Arbaz Khan and Juno Award-winning Toronto R&B artist **TheHonestGuy>.
Beyond the performances, attendees can participate in Bollywood, salsa and bhangra dance workshops, art workshops presented in partnership with the Aga Khan Museum, seniors’ programming, family activities and interactive cultural experiences. Local restaurants, artisans and businesses will also be featured throughout the weekend.
A special VIP reception, media event and artist meet-and-greet will kick off the festivities on July 16 at the Conservatory in Brampton City Hall.
The festival is supported by the City of Brampton, Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, Experience Ontario, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund and the Ontario Arts Council.
For the full schedule and more information, visit www.vibrantbrampton.ca.
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