TJ Fest in Burnaby

Hosted by the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society, the ExplorASIAN Festival features a series of events celebrating Asian culture in Vancouver in May.

The festival runs from April 25th until May 30th in 2026.

The ExplorASIAN Festival is one of a number of East Asian-themed events in the Lower Mainland. Other significant ones include Lunarfest Vancouver (during the Lunar New Year in January or February), the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival in July, and Taiwanfest in September.

ExplorASIAN Festival in Vancouver

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada and the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society celebrates the month with an arts and culture festival. Throughout May the organization partners with various groups in Metro Vancouver to host a wide variety of different events.

The ExplorASIAN Festival celebrates its 30th year in 2026. In previous years, there were over 50 events that took place across Metro Vancouver.

The opening ceremony takes place on April 25th at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam. In the past, this was free to attend (with details to be confirmed for 2026). Some of the festival’s other events were also free, while some events were by donation and others required paid tickets.

On any given year you can expect to see art exhibitions, speaker series, walking tours, interactive workshops, live performances and more over the course of the festival.

ExplorASIAN Events

As mentioned above, there are dozens of festival events that take place each year. There are too many to list in this article. That said, below are just a few of the events that happen in 2026.

Great Canadian Casino Vancouver

The Great Canadian Casino Vancouver hosts “Taste of Asia” on May 16 in 2026. Here, you can try various Asian dishes and delicacies, as well as enjoy viewing numerous art displays and performances from various regions. The activities run from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm at 2080 United Boulevard in Coquitlam.

Fraser River Discovery Centre

In the past, the Fraser River Discovery Centre hosted special activities for Asian Heritage Month. For one weekend, guests could learn all about how Asian Canadians have impacted the Fraser River Basin. The extra educational activities were included with general admission and available from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on each of the three days. This is to be confirmed for 2026.

To learn more, see our article about the Fraser River Discovery Centre.

Echoes of Peace Concert

In 2026, the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble presents a concert in honor of the celebrations. Echoes of Peace features the band performing at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver’s Chinatown. This is a ticketed event, costing about $15 and $25 per person (including fees). For more information about the show, see our article about the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble.

OTHER WALKING TOURS

If you like walking tours, then be sure to also check out Historical Chinatown Tours. They take place at other times of the year too. Forbidden Vancouver is also another exceptional walking tour company, although it focuses on Vancouver history in general.

ExplorASIAN Spring Show

A regular event at the festival each year is the Vancouver Ikebana Association’s Spring Show. This is a Japanese floral arrangement exhibition including live demonstrations by experienced artists. There is even an opportunity for visitors to take part in a workshop to learn about the practice of ikebana.

The Spring Show is held at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Vancouver. In 2026 it takes place on May 23rd and 24th. The show runs from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on the first day, and then from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on the second day.

The Tian Jin Temple’s TJ Fest Community Festival

TJ Fest is another free event that takes place at the Tian Jin Temple at 3426 Smith Avenue in Burnaby. The venue isn’t far from where Grandview meets the Trans-Canada Highway.

The main focus of the event is Metro Vancouver’s Taiwanese culture, but there are multiple different cultures represented either through live performances or through food available from a variety of vendors. There is also a community market at the event as well as carnival-style games and other family-friendly activities.

TJ Fest takes place on May 2nd and 3rd in 2026. It runs from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm on both days.

To learn more about the event at the Tian Jin Temple, see our article about TJ Fest.

To see what the festival looks like, check out the following video.

About the VAHMS Organization

The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS) is a non-profit, multicultural arts organization. Its mission is to promote Asian-Canadian arts and culture in Vancouver.

So many different Asian nationalities and cultures are represented in the Lower Mainland. There are people from East Asia which includes China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Mongolia. Southeast Asian countries are Cambodia, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore and a few others. South Asian countries are Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Western Asian or Middle Eastern countries include places like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, the UAE and Yemen, to name a few. In Central Asia there is Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society promotes the cultures and arts of all the above ethnic groups, and more.