Festival features the best of music, art, fashion and film
(Vancouver – April 18, 2019) – 5X, a world-class festival celebrating South Asian youth culture, has announced that its 2019 Festival will return on June 12-16, 2019. Following a successful launch last year, 5X is back for a second year and will host renowned artists such as Raja Kumari, Sidhu Moose Wala and Mickey Singh.
The festival’s flagship event, 5X Block Party, will take place once again at Central City in the heart of Surrey. Last year’s event drew more than 10,000 fans who enjoyed performances by leading South Asian superstars Jasmine Sandlas and Sharry Mann. 5X will also host unique events at their pop-up Arts Hub in Vancouver.
Tarun Nayar, Executive Director of 5X, said, “We’re thrilled to be bringing back our 5X Festival for another year. We have seen a surge of South Asian creatives that have hit the mainstream and pushed barriers and boundaries for our community as a whole. Our vision behind 5X is to be a global brand and community for South Asians to continue to grow in diverse modes of artistic expression.”
Mickey Singh, Singer, said, “ I’m excited to be a headliner at 5X in Surrey this year. It’s great to be involved in a festival that provides a platform for the next generation of talent in our community. As a long-time fan of the organization, I look forward to being on stage and performing for my fans in BC.”
Below is an overview of the events. Visit 5xfest.com for the full talent line-up.
- May 31, 2019 – 5X Pre-Party: Advertised as “A Bombay club night in Vancouver”, the pre-party at Celebrities features GURBAX (Mumbai) and local hero Khanvict, with guests.
- June 12, 2019 – 5X Art Party: Featuring a heavy cast of locals, this night spotlights South Asian artists impacting art and fashion around the world. Curated by dontdoze, creatives will include Anumation, Erin Sandhu and Jessie Sohpaul.
- June 13, 2019 – 5X Movie Night: Showcasing five acclaimed short films from different regions from around the globe, film-lovers and filmmakers alike will be inspired by this unique collection of stories spotlighting a myriad of South Asian Diasporic identities and experiences.
- June 14, 2019 – 5X Womxn Showcase: Our effort to address male bias in the music industry, this is a night featuring local female musicians. Headlined by Cartel Madras (Calgary), and hosted by Laydy Jams, the showcase a range of emerging and established talent.
- June 14 – 15. 2019: 2V2BC: A runaway success for us in our inaugural year was #2V2BC – the 2 vs 2 Bhangra Contest. An unorthodox format and emphasis on creativity turned this into the highlight of the festival for many, with a number of the routines going viral on Instagram. Auditions run online on Instagram starting in May, and finalists compete during the Festival weekend in front of a panel of celebrity judges.
- June 15, 2019 – 5X Block Party: Our flagship event and free party will take place again in Central Surrey. Featuring a mind-bending array of performers who defy the limitations of what it is to be South Asian. Some of the biggest headliners in the world meet the next generation of cutting-edge talent – Sidhu Moose Wala, Mickey Singh, and Raja Kumari.
- June 16, 2019 – 5X Creates: From the mysteries of building a social media following to pursuing your creative passions, learn from some of the most compelling South Asian creative professionals in the world in this afternoon of music-oriented workshops and panel discussions about the future of art, culture, and community-building. Guests include The Sandy Lion, Malinder Tooray and BFunk.
Locally, there is a strong ecosystem of South Asian creatives ranging from musicians, producers, performers, poets, and artists – however there has never been a platform for them to showcase their talent until the launch of 5X.
5X is the signature initiative by Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society (VIBC), a charitable organization that previously hosted the well-known “City of Bhangra” Festival, bhangra competitions, and other events to bring awareness to and support South Asian arts. Last year, the team rebranded and launched 5X with the intention to create a space specifically for South Asian millennials. 5X is thankful for its partners including: British Columbia Arts Council, City of Surrey, City of Vancouver, Creative BC, Daily Hive, Dil Mil, Heritage Canada and our launch partner, Elements Casino.
