Schedule

Watch as cultural pavilion organizers march from the ML Emporio Celebration Stage to the Concord Pacific World Music Stage together.

Experience an Indigenous Welcome and opening remarks from Mayor, Council and dignitaries.

Born and raised in Guantanamo, Cuba, in a family of established musicians, Julio Avila's musical journey dates back to when he was 7 years old. Listening to his parents and older siblings perform, Julio first developed a strong bond with the traditional tune, changüí, which has roots in his native Guantanamo.

Surrounded by this vibrant and rich musical heritage, Julio perfected playing his principal instrument, the bass, while taking on the lead singer, arranger and composer roles as well. As a member of the internationally renowned group La Sonora Universal, Julio performed throughout Europe and with El Grupo Cubano Brisas Del Palmar he has toured Western Canada since 2005.  

Semiah is a next generation Kanien’kehà:ka rising star with a singular heart-channeled singing style. She is a multidisciplinary artist-producer-songwriter weaving a sonic tapestry of Electro Pop, Alt RnB, Dreampop, and Indigenous Vocal Techniques. Debut single 'Nothing Can Kill My Love for You' garnered 100,000 streams; tracks from debut EP 'After The Night Ends' continue to be featured on CBC radio. Recent stage highlights include International Indigenous Music Summit in Toronto and Sākihiwē Festival in Winnipeg.

Semiah celebrates the release of new single 'Withdrawals' by dropping it July 20 during her Fusion Festival set with special surprises for attending fans. The track, co-produced with Montreal's Teleh0rn, features innovative metallic elements that align with Katana sword fight in the official video that Semiah directed, choreographed and created wardrobe for. From the moment she steps on stage, audiences fall in love with this generous and effervescent performer.

The History of Gunpowder is a high energy, orchestral rock, freak-out ensemble based in Vancouver that puts on theatrical, gritty, and unforgettable live shows. The History seamlessly blends expansive arrangements, growling blues vocals, and danceable funk rhythms into an electric sonic experience. They have garnered critical and popular acclaim as one of the best touring live acts in Canada that boasts an explosive sound somewhere between Tom Waits, Nick Cave, and Radiohead. The History seems to be unwaveringly barreling upwards with the fall 2023 release of their feature-length film/video album - Swallows, their third European tour, and the much anticipated release of their upcoming album, The Epileptic Vol II. 

If you don't know this emerging artist, well get to know and remember this name - Missy D. She's been rhyming since the tender age of 11, effortlessly switching between French and English, hailing from the Motherland with roots in Rwanda, Côte d’Ivoire, and Zimbabwe. Her passion for music transcends boundaries, ignited by the likes of the iconic Missy Elliott, Ms. Lauryn Hill to the legendary MC Solaar, 2Pac, Diams, India.Arie, Stromae and J. Cole. This femcee has carved her own musical path, a fusion of genres she often calls "Rap & Soul."

Her Case Depart continues and Missy D has more promising work on the horizon, showcasing a diverse celebration of music, instrumental, people, brilliance, languages and unity. Get ready to be swept away by the energetic, hip-hop-infused world of Missy D, where every beat tells a story, and every rhyme ignites the stage with that je ne sais quoi: “So 1, 2, 3, on y va, on y va”

Born in Ghana, and raised between the UK and Canada, artist and songwriter, MAUVEY, defies categorization with his unique blend of influences spanning Afro, pop, hip-hop, cinematic, rock, punk, alternative, and electronic genres.

Born out of an obsession with storytelling, songwriting, cinema, and fashion, MAUVEY's music reflects a spectrum of emotions — anger, frustration, happiness, gratitude, and love— all intertwined with a fervent desire for the world to change.

Born in Ghana, and raised between the UK and Canada, artist and songwriter, MAUVEY, defies categorization with his unique blend of influences spanning Afro, pop, hip-hop, cinematic, rock, punk, alternative, and electronic genres.

Born out of an obsession with storytelling, songwriting, cinema, and fashion, MAUVEY's music reflects a spectrum of emotions — anger, frustration, happiness, gratitude, and love— all intertwined with a fervent desire for the world to change.

Sudan Archives combines left-field strains of R&B, hip-hop, and experimental electronic with hypnotic string loops and the fiddling style of West Africa. This is shown on her critically acclaimed album of 2022 Natural Brown Prom Queen. When Sudan burst onto the scene in 2017 with "Come Meh Way," she was a violinist and loop maker producing beats in her bedroom. 

Natural Brown Prom Queen is Sudan’s most ambitious work to date and a critic's favorite (Pitchfork #2 Album of the Year). “Sudan Archives is making R&B deeper and stranger.” - New York Times