Lunar New Year at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Vancouver’s Chinatown hosts Chinese New Year celebrations at Lunar New Year with various activities and live performances.

In 2023 the event runs on the weekend of January 21st and 22nd. In past years admission has been by donation at Lunar New Year. This year, however, there is a fee.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden’s Lunar New Year Event

Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year by people of Chinese descent, is celebrated all around the world. This year, Lunar New Year is on Sunday, January 22nd. 2023 marks the year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese Zodiac.

Many Lunar New Year celebrations happen in Metro Vancouver each year including Lunarfest, the Chinese New Year Parade, celebrations at International Village Mall and more. Another popular way to ring in the New Year is by visiting Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Chinatown. The beautiful oasis in downtown Vancouver hosts an annual event full of fun things to see and do.

The event in 2023 features arts and crafts, traditional food and the unveiling of a new exhibition by Chairman Ting. Featured performances at the event this year include Guzheng, Lion Dancing and City Opera Vancouver.

WALKING TOURS IN CHINATOWN

If you want to learn about Chinatown and Chinese history in Vancouver, then we highly recommend Historical Chinatown Tours with Judy Lam Maxwell. We went on one of the tours and were really impressed! It was very interesting, informative and fun. On our tour we also went to a restaurant in Chinatown for dim sum. It was delicious!

To learn more about the tours see our article about Historical Chinatown Tours (where you’ll also see a video which will show you a bit about what you can expect).

When and Where

In 2023, the Lunar New Year event at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden is held on the weekend of January 21st and 22nd. January 21st is the last day of the Year of the Tiger and January 22nd is the first day of the Year of the Rabbit. The celebrations run from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday.

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is located at 578 Carrall Street. It’s in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown.

Event Schedule

The 2023 Lunar New Year event schedules are the same on both the Saturday and Sunday at the garden.

Activities that run throughout the event, so from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm, include arts, crafts and fortune telling. Visitors can also check out Chairman Ting’s new Billion Buns exhibition at any time. I-Ching Readings with Wai Siu happen all day as well. Tea Ceremonies with Adrian Sinclair and Michael McDonald, meanwhile, run from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm, which is also when Calligraphy with Joie Anyon takes place.

Tasty food and drinks are available for purchase on site. Expect to see folks eating dumplings, tang yuan and cookies. There are also different types of teas to try.

Performances take place at set times. The live entertainment schedule is listed below and is the same for both the Saturday and Sunday.

2023 Schedule of Performances

11:00 am – 1:00 pm: Guzheng (Selena Yu and Maggie Dang)
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Lion Dance (Hon Hsing Athletic Club)
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm: City Opera Vancouver
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Kristin Fung and Amanda Sum, plus DJ Static featuring Nox

SHEN YUN IN VANCOUVER

Another great way to experience Chinese cultural and performing arts is to see Shen Yun. The New York-based company brings its show to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from March 21st to 26th in 2023. It’s an impressive show! If you go, you won’t be disappointed!

Admission to the Garden at New Year

Admission to the event in past years was by donation, with a suggested minimum amount of $5. In 2023, however, you have to pay to get in.

Tickets to the event are available online and vary in price depending on how far in advance you book. Prices for both days are the same. Early bird tickets cost as low as about $6. Prices increase to about $22 as the celebration gets closer. Some tickets are available at the gate as well, although it’s probably best to book them online for guaranteed entry.

To buy your tickets now click Lunar New Year at the Garden Tickets.

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden is a not-for-profit attraction. Proceeds from the annual event help fund maintenance and other programs and workshops.

Chinese Lantern Exhibit at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden

Lunar New Year Events in the Past

In the past, prior to the era of COVID, the Lunar New Year event at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden was called the Temple Fair. It was similar to the weekend event in 2023, but with a different name.

Prior to 2019, the attraction also hosted a special multi-day event called Lanterns in the Garden. It ran for about three weeks starting around the Lunar New Year. The photo above shows what one of the Lanterns in the Garden displays looked like in 2018. It was a very interesting event.