Last Chinatown events of the year + Buy a square for a senior!
All the events happening in Chinatown this weekend in one place
After a whirlwind of 16 events in Chinatown since the beginning of July, we’re ending the year with the largest event we’ve hosted — a two-day series to celebrate winter solstice!
There hasn’t been a Winter Solstice 冬至 (Dong Zhi) celebration in Chinatown for over 5 years now, so we’re excited to bring it back to celebrate culture and community with some good ol’ fashion family fun.
Here’s what to expect in Chinatown this weekend :
(including events from our friends!)
Saturday, Dec 16
100 Wishes Quilt “百家被” for Chinatown with Yarrow - 12:00pm-4:00pm
Winter Wonder Walk in Chinatown with Chinatown Wonders - 11am-1pm
Winter Solstice Popup Market with Chinatown Wonders & NOW Society - 1pm-7pm
Tong Yuen (sweet dumpling) making with Kam Wai Dim Sum (Chinatown Together event) - 6:30pm-8:30pm (Full)
Sunday, Dec 17
Winter Solstice Main Event with Chinatown Together - 3:30-5:30pm
Lantern-making for lantern procession (free!) - 3:30-5:30pm
Various musical performances - 3:30-5pm
Sweet dumpling tasting from dumplings made the night before at Kam Wai (free!) - 4:15pm onwards
Chinese choir and community lantern procession - 5-5:30pm
Buy a square to support senior from Yarrow
This holiday season, purchase a square for Yarrow’s seniors and their community “百家被” quilt!
Baijia bei (百家被) is a Northern Chinese patchwork tradition that incorporates 100 squares of cloth, representing good wishes, new life and dreams of a better life, together into one quilt. As we prepare our community quilt, we will weave our wishes for intergenerational connections, visions of community strength and longevity, and cultural prosperity.
By purchasing a square, your donation will directly support the continuation of Yarrow’s linguistic and cultural services for low-income seniors living in Downtown Eastside, Chinatown and Strathcona. To put your donation into a symbolic perspective, a purchase of a one “square” can provide a senior access to Yarrow’s weekly exercise program and a light breakfast every week, twice a week (Yes, this is the same exercise program where the city policed the seniors out).
Get Chinatown Stories from Chinatown Today as a gift!
Chinatown Stories Volume 5 might have launched last week, but it’s not too late to grab a copy for holiday gifting!
Through interviews, poetry, prose, film, photography, and visual arts, Chinatown Stories Volume 5: The Bridges Between Us interprets the bridges in our relationships with Chinatown, each other, and ourselves.
Across cultures and generations, beyond Vancouver and and across Turtle Island, we see bridges built through solidarity, through the empowerment of cultural heritage and acts of reciprocity, and through the representation of our shared stories.
Even out of the approval of 105 Keefer in spite of fierce community opposition, our contributors have shown that new bridges can be formed from the ashes of past ones burnt, and envisioned new futures for a thriving Chinatown.