Vancouver Chinatown Festival

The Vancouver Chinatown Festival is a multicultural event in Chinatown that features live entertainment, food vendors and other activities in the summer.

In 2023 the festival happened on July 15th and 16th. Other things to do that weekend included major events like the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Surrey Latin Festival and Uptown Live Street Party in New Westminster. There was also both Symphony in the Park and Opera in the Park at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby.

Festival dates for 2024 are still to be confirmed.

To learn about what else happened this month, see our July Calendar of Events. For information about the Vancouver Chinatown Festival, continue reading.

Vancouver Chinatown Festival

In past years the Vancouver Chinatown Festival has featured a Streetfest block party, Youth Talent Showdown, Young Star Challenge talent show (in some years), multicultural performances, a walking tour of the neighbourhood and other activities.

After two years of cancellations because of COVID-19, the festival returned as a two-day event in 2022 on July 16th and 17th. It featured dance and music performances, an outdoor movie and other activities. The festival was back again in 2023.

Want a personalized tour of Chinatown for you and your friends? Then see our article about Historical Chinatown Tours.

When and Where

The 2023 event happened on the weekend of July 15th and 16th. It ran from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Each year the event takes place in Vancouver’s Chinatown around the corner of Keefer Street and Columbia Street near the Chinese Cultural Centre which is located at 555 Columbia Street. At the intersection of the two streets there is a large outdoor stage where the entertainment takes place. There are also seats for audience members to sit at. For a block along Keefer Street you’ll find a row of community information booths and a small number of vendors. In the area there are also a few food trucks.

The nearest SkyTrain Station is Stadium-Chinatown on the Expo Line which is less than a 10-minute walk away.

JAZZ FESTIVAL IN FORT LANGLEY

Another highly-recommended event that happens in July is the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival. It features ticketed events, but also lots of free concerts. The music festival in 2023 ran from Thursday, July 20th, until Sunday, July 23rd. The festival happens again in 2024 and runs from July 19th to 21st.

What’s on in 2023

The full schedule of activities for the 2023 Vancouver Chinatown Festival was still to be confirmed at the time of writing this article. Some of the highlights though included kids and cultural diversity corners, live on-stage performances, an artisan’s market displaying unique gifts and crafts from a variety of vendors, Mahjong, which is a traditional and popular Chinese game that’s enjoyed widely, a petting zoo with live animals for children to enjoy up close, and more fun things to see and do.

2022 Vancouver Chinatown Festival Schedule

Part of the festival’s opening ceremony is a traditional Lion Dance. There are also other dance and musical performances on an outdoor stage throughout the weekend. As well, there are a few food trucks on hand and a movie night on the first evening.

Below was the schedule of activities for 2022. The schedule of activities for 2023 was to be confirmed. 2024’s schedule will likely not differ much past years.

Saturday, July 16th, 2022

12:00 pm – Opening Ceremonies
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Main Stage Live Performances
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Giant Mahjong
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm – Salsa Dancing (for the public to participate in)
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Family Movie Night with Kung Fu Panda 2
9:00 pm to 11:00 pm – All-Asian Comedy

Sunday, July 17th, 2022

11:00 am to 5:00 pm – Main Stage Live Performances
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Giant Mahjong and Market Vendors

In addition to the above, on both days from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm, there were arts and crafts activities for kids.

Chinatown Chinese Festival — Keefer Street at Vancouver Chinatown Festival

Other Information

Click Vancouver Chinatown Festival for more details about the event.

For information on things to do while in the neighbourhood, click Vancouver Chinatown. In that article you’ll learn about places of interest in the area, including the Chinese Canadian Museum.

For other events going on in Metro Vancouver, check out the Festivals & Events Calendar.

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