A time Honored East Vancouver Tradition
Author: Theodore Abbott he/him
Photography: Courtesy of the Dusty Flower Pot Cabaret Society
“A time honored East Vancouver tradition”. That is how the Parade of Lost Souls is described on the event’s official website. As a product of the Dusty Flower Pot Cabaret (DFC) – a grass roots East Vancouver arts collective – the Parade of Lost Souls isn’t so much hosted by the group, but rather facilitated in a way that is “as hands-off as possible”. In conversation with Kat Single-Dain, the Artistic Executive Director of the DFC, she describes the parade as a tempest and herself as “the eye of the storm.”
In one form or another, the parade has been running since the 1990s. Past years of the annual event have seen venue changes, as well as major adjustments to production and execution. But despite its various incarnations, the core of the parade has remained largely unchanged.
Both in spirit and aesthetics, the Parade of Lost Souls is informed by The Day of the Dead, or Dia De Los Muertos in Spanish. This is evidenced by the presence of large paper-maché skulls, stilt walkers, and, of course, lots of Calavera makeup. There is also a markedly surrealist quality to the decentralized processions (think Rothschild’s 1972 Surrealist Ball) wherein reverence for tradition melds with elements of Daliesque avant-garde. This is no cheap, store bought pageantry—the artistic merits of the parade are further elevated by the delicate care that goes into each costume.
This dream-like atmosphere is also complimented by the unique approach taken by the event’s organizers, which Single-Dain describes as having an improvisational “‘yes and’ quality.” Single-Dain also notes that the parade is “by and for the people of Vancouver” highlighting that the event is meant to act as a kind of blank canvas for the community. In this regard, the event thrives on community initiative, hinging on the artistic drive of local creatives: “There are often aspects of the parade that I haven’t seen, or that I know very little about before the day of”. She explains that when asked about the nature of the parade, her explanation is simple: “As I always say, the parade is you!”
Taking place on the Saturday nearest Halloween, the area in and around Britannia Community Centre – just off of Commercial Drive – is transformed into the festival grounds. The event boasts a full program replete with marching bands, multiple stages, DJs, interactive art installations, flash mobs, and food trucks. Processions commence on an hourly schedule between 8pm and 9pm, with the Parade of Little Souls – a more family oriented procession – setting off at 7pm. After 10pm, the Lost Souls afterparty kicks off, taking place this year at two locations; The Biltmore Cabaret and Strange Fellows Brewing. Speaking as someone with a bad case of Halloween FOMO, the Lost Souls afterparty is one of the best post-party events I’ve ever attended.
Single-Dain also notes how buying a ticket to the afterparty is akin to making a direct donation to a non-profit, and that ticket sales help to keep the Parade of Lost Souls alive. The parade itself is a free event, although donations are encouraged, and every year community support becomes more vital. According to Single-Dain, grant funding for the parade has gone down by 50 per cent over the last few years.
In the weeks leading up to November 1st, folks can also attend a series of dance workshops – suggested donation $10 – or even the weekly pre-parade-party and costume sale, which takes place at the DFC studio, details found on their website.
For anyone interested in participating in the Parade of Lost Souls, or any of the other programming that the DFC facilitates, you can join their mailing list, or follow them on social media @dustyflowerpotcabaret. As advertised on their website, the parade is merely the tip of the iceberg, with year round events that include speed dating, swing dances, clowning workshops, yoga classes, and much, much more.