True North Strong Party! Partake in 150th Canada Day Fair at CISB, Jun 25

The Great White North is celebrating a century and a half as a nation, and the Canadian International School in Liangmaqiao is marking the occasion with an all-day bash that features Atlantic lobster, tunes courtesy of Ontario hailing R&B songstress Ember Swift, and Quebecois chanteuse Marie-Claude LeBel fronting the gypsy jazz outfit Hot Club Beijing, and more.

The afternoon-long Canada Day Fair (taking place June 25, beginning at 11am) will feature cooking demonstrations (which the chefs promise will be fun and comprehensive) of fresh imported seafood like lobster and capelin. There will also be booths manned by Beijing based Canadian bar and restaurant purveyors selling their wares. Those booths goodies will include Plan B burgers and Caesar cocktails (owner Trevor Metz is from British Colombia), poutine and smoked meat sandwiches by 4corners (owner and chef Jun Trinh was raised in Toronto), beavertail pastries from Big Bear baked goods, Jing A beer (cofounder and brewer Kris Li is also a Torontonian), Cow's Creamery ice cream (a chain from the east coast province of Prince Edward Island) and more.

Swift says she's eager to perform at the event, explaining: "I'm always happy to be included in an event celebrating my country," before adding that she'll play a selection of songs from her four most recent albums, most of which have English lyrics, though she'll sing a couple of them in both Chinese and French.

Swift adds: "I've lived here so long that sometimes I feel far from Canada. When my consulate seeks me out, I'm reminded that my music – and me – haven't been forgotten, and that music has the place I always dreamed it would: as a bridge between these two divergent but increasingly connected nations and cultures."
Aside from the Canadian-born, Beijing-based headliners like LeBel and Swift, other musicians on the bill include DJ Johnny Hutong (another Canuck) and a climactic performance by Nancy and the Fantastic, one Beijing's most popular cover bands (their guitarist, Gabriel is also from the Great White North).

The full schedule for the day is as follows:

11am - Door opens and check in
Midday - Opening ceremony
12.10pm - First band - Hot Club of Beijing
1pm - Cooking demo (fish)
1.30pm - Second band - Ember Swift
2.15pm - Cooking demo (beef)
3pm - Celebrating Canada's birthday
3.30pm - Cooking demo (lobster)
4pm - Final band - Nancy and the Fantastic
5pm - Closing ceremony

Tickets are RMB 50 for adults and free for children under 12 years old. For more information, click here.

Photos: the Beijinger, courtesy of the promoters, vendors and talent