Join us in the last days of summer for community, friends, and fun activities at Car Free Day on Sunday, August 31 along Edmonds between Kingsway and Mary Avenue! Alegría Soy Cultural & Community Society will be there with a special stage and unique performers to help celebrate.

This exciting new Burnaby event is part of a nationwide initiative to encourage everyone to leave their cars at home and connect with each other. More information about Car Free Day can be found at burnaby.ca

Our Performers

Giordano has been teaching Latin American social dances for more than 15 years.

His passion for dance and the pursuit of excellence led to professional training at the University of the Arts in Havana, after which he participated in folklore shows for 10 years as a group member and soloist, touring and participating in festivals and competitions in Spain, France, Thailand, Venezuela and Russia.

The Edmond Las Devinas Dance Group is a captivating ensemble that uses the power of dance to advocate for social justice.

With vibrant energy and mesmerizing moves, this talented group will be performing to the spirited beats of Mangulina and Palos, evoking the compelling cultures of the Caribbean and Africa.

Alma Raiz has a deep passion for folk dance and a commitment to cultural education. Dance training lead her to become a professional dancer for seven years at the renowned Fundación Escuela Ritmo Caleño where she performed on important stages both nationally and internationally.

Alma Raiz does community out reach with “Soñar con los Pies”. This initiative works with groups of children, seniors, and pregnant and nursing mothers, to share dance as a tool for well-being, expression, and inter generational connection.

Anahaw Filipino Canadian Performing Arts Society in BC is a cultural dance group dedicated to celebrating and sharing the vibrant traditions of Filipino Culture. Our performances are more than just dance; they are a living narrative, a way to connect with the history, stories, and artistry of Filipino Culture. We strive to preserve these rich traditions through captivating movements, authentic music, and engaging storytelling. We offer performances, workshops, and educational programs, aiming to share our cultural heritage with the wider community and foster a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity.

Lili Flamenco is a dancer, performer, choreographer, and teacher. She has been actively performing and teaching Flamenco for the community, cultural and Flamenco festivals, as well as private events and different theatre venues across the lower mainland. The expressive, rhythmical and challenging nature of Flamenco inspires Lili to research, create, perform , and teach it. She takes pride in collaborating with local dance artists and musicians and strives to continuously create new works. She is an expressive dancer, a storyteller and believes that dance is an embodied language that exists to tell stories, teach, and inspire.

Lili Flamenco will be showcasing two dances the first is called Fandangos, a traditional folkloric dance from Spain with some Flamenco influence, danced by Esmie McLaren, Tracy Samoil, and Lili Flamenco.
The second dance is a duo Fusion of a flamenco dance style called Rumba flamenca and an Afro Cuban dance style Called Rumba Columbia danced by Nico Rana and Lili Flamenco.

Nico is a professional dancer with over 20 years of experience. He has trained with the best artists in the world and performed in the most important congresses in Europe, Canada and USA.

Nico is known for his dynamic teaching style and innovative performance. He continues to share his passion with everyone.

Pasión Venezuela Dancing Group was created in 2024 by a group of Venezuelans passionate about and proud of their culture and traditional dances.

The group’s main purpose is to share, through performances at cultural festivals and/or special events, the variety of dance styles and rhythms that Venezuela has to offer.

Preeti Singh is a founder of PTdance Company and a professional dance instructor artist with over 5 years of experience, specializing in after-school programs, event choreography, and fitness dance classes.

She has A high-energy dance group performing across the Lower Mainland since 2023. Each dancer brings unique talent, making our team vibrant, united, and full of spirit. Together, we create powerful performances and unforgettable moments.

Sonia Medel is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and researcher completing a PhD in Educational Studies. Her work explores Vancouver’s arts and culture scenes through a decolonial, intersectional feminist lens, centering the socio-political power of Latin American dancers.

With over a decade advancing critical approaches to arts, education, and health across the Americas, Sonia draws from her complex lived reality as an Indigenous-descendant Latina, the daughter of a Chilean exile and a Peruvian immigrant. Raised and professionally grounded on the lands of the Coast Salish peoples, rightful stewards of these territories, she expresses deep gratitude to them.

Wasakaka All-Stars is a high-energy Latin music band based in Vancouver, Canada, bringing together top-tier musicians to deliver an electrifying mix of salsa, merengue, and other Caribbean rhythms.

Known for their versatility, the band adapts to different formats, from an intimate six-piece ensemble to a full 12+ musician orchestra.

CUMBALE is a vibrant dance group dedicated to celebrating and sharing the richness of traditional Colombian folklore through dance and music. We bring together passionate dancers to showcase the rhythms, stories, and colourful traditions that make our culture unique.

Our mission is to connect communities, inspire pride in our roots, and create spaces where everyone can experience the joy of Colombian dance. Whether performing on stage or teaching others, we dance with purpose, unity, and heart.

It started as a school talent show of some hiphop dancers who want to explore and highlight the Filipino cultural dance and blend it with their love of hiphop.

RED FILOS aims to address the growing disconnect between Filipino youth and their cultural heritage, particularly those raised in diaspora communities. Many second-generation Filipinos are unaware of the richness of traditional dances like *tinikling*. Simultaneously, RED FILOS see the need for more inclusive, youth-led cultural spaces where identity, heritage, and creativity intersect. Through our fusion of *hiphop* and *tinikling*, we aim to make tradition relevant and empowering.

Marlo Browne is a Barbadian poet, spoken word artist, host, film-maker and self-published author of 4 poetry books, currently residing in Langley City. Marlo is a very versatile poet and has been featured and performed at many events from galas to open mics at restaurants across BC. His books can be found on Amazon as well as several bookstores across BC including the Creative Bookworm, Wildfire Books, the UEL marketplace at the Loft on Granville Island, and Massy Books. His second and fourth books can also be found in Surrey Libraries. As a curator, Marlo was the curator for poets at the Vancouver Black Independent Film Festival as well as one of the curators for the inaugural Da Luv James Book Festival. Prior to that, he won the second iteration of the Da Luv Jones Poetry slam and is still the reigning champion.

Community Conversations

The Edmonds Community safety Committee ( CSAC) is primarily made up of Burnaby citizens concerned about safety in their neighbourhood. These dedicated volunteers meet monthly to discuss safety concerns in the neighbourhood and to liaise with Burnaby’s city staff and police to address some of these issues.

Please stop by the Edmonds Community Safety Advisory Committee and share your safety concerns in your neighbourhood.

Researchers from SFU Faculty of Health Sciences

Be Part of the Conversation!

We are continuing our Community Conversation on Transportation Futures, Air Quality, and Community Resilience for Burnaby.

Researchers from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, together with the Civic Innovation Lab, TransLink, Evo CarShare, and Mobi BikeShare are exploring how our transportation choices shape cleaner air and stronger, more resilient communities.

Stop by our booth, share your ideas, and help shape the future of transportation across Burnaby neighbourhoods. Your voice matters!

Pin where you were born on the map!
Natalie Wallace has been a member of Alegria Soy Planning/Working committee since 2024. She has a Masters Degree of Public Policy and Administration from Adler University, with a Focus on Social Change Leadership.
Celebrate the amazing diversity of Edmonds by adding your pin.

The Invisibles and Disposables from Dignidad Migrante

Invisibles y desechables (Invisibles and Disposables). Temporary Foreign Workers' life and rituals” is an interdisciplinary exhibition by Luz Rosas and Carlos Colín in partnership with Dignidad Migrante Society, that attempt to shed light to the life of the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW), specifically in the farming sector from Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean, during their stay in British Columbia. The exhibition is looking to expand the visibility of the workers, while we find new possibilities to collaborate learning about their situations and supporting them in their cause.