By Tan Mei Xi
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Even a global pandemic can't stop the Downtown Eastside from celebrating its artists and culture.

The 2020 Heart of the City Festival features over 100 events showcasing the culture and spirit of the neighbourhood. The wide array of events include conversations with matriarchs, an open mic at the Strathcona tent encampment, a demonstration of Cantonese opera, a bead weaving workshop, and many other events.

For the festival's artistic producer, Terry Hunter, the number of events the festival was able to host this year is a testament to the spirit of the neighbourhood. According to Hunter, the organizers initially thought they would only have about 40 events this year. However, the strong relationships the festival has with many community organizations led to collaborative co-creations that led to a diversity of online and outdoor events.

The festival ends this Sunday, but Hunter points out that there are still many events left to check out. He recommends the "In the Beginning" storytelling series featuring Indigenous elders and storykeepers with shows on Friday and Saturday night at the Firehall Arts Centre.

The programming for the festival can be found at www.heartofthecityfestival.com.