Burnaby is having a family reunion next week.
The city is celebrating the golden jubilee anniversary of its sister-city relationship with Kushiro, Japan.
Burnaby and Kushiro became sister cities when delegates from the Japanese city came to town in 1965. Reeve Alan Emmott signed an exchange affiliation agreement with the delegation, which was renewed at the 25th anniversary in 1990, according to a city staff report.
Burnaby is hosting delegates from Japan from July 7 to 11, with two public events planned for the visit, according to the city’s website.
There will be a ceremony and park dedication at the Playground of the Gods in Centennial Park on Burnaby Mountain next Thursday.
Refreshments will be served at the dedication, which takes place from 9 to 11 a.m. on July 9.
The city has also planned a special Burnaby-Kushiro 50th anniversary concert for Friday.
The concert features jazz pianist Kentaro Kihara, who was born in Kushiro. Kihara composes a wide range of music, according to a post on the city’s website, and has albums in the U.S. and Japan.
Jazz guitarist Yuji Nakajima is also performing.
The concert is co-hosted by the city and the Japan Foundation. It takes place on July 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Michael J. Fox Theatre. Tickets are $22, and are available at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and online.
The Nikkei Matsuri Festival in September will also share the story of the sister-city relationship with the public. The third annual Japanese culture festival will take place on Sept. 5 and 6.
