From August 10–19, Harbourfront Centre will be transformed into a portal to the rich cultural past of First Nations people through free arts festival Planet IndigenUS.

Co-produced with Woodland Cultural Centre, the 10-day showcase will feature hyper-modern-meets-deeply-traditional works from Aboriginal artists all over the world.

Photographs, paintings and mixed media art depicting the life and plight of First Nations people will grace the centre’s walls. Its open-air stage, on the other hand, will be the venue of several live acts like DJ crew A Tribe Called Red, didgeridoo masters Tjupurru and the premiere of Iroquois and Ainu dance piece Susuriwki – Willow Bridge.

Instead of just bobbing their heads to the music, audience can also partake in interactive events like Polytoxic’s outdoor dance, craft-making and modern Aboriginal cooking with famous chefs David Wolfman and Rich Francis.

“As a tourist in Canada, it’s great to be exposed to the history of First Nations people,” said German and Albertan transplant Franziska Bergman.

With only five days to spend touring Toronto, she made sure to “save the best for last” and visit the centre’s exhibits.

“Events like this that features all kinds of art really teaches you about Aboriginal culture and history,” Bergman said.

All Planet IndigenUS events are free. For the full line-up of the festival events visit the Habourfront Centre website.

Total cost for the day: Free (transportation not included)