Fire Dragon Festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown
byThe Fire Dragon Festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown hosts a day of cultural performances, culinary exploration, and heritage appreciation, culminating with a fiery procession through the historic neighbourhood at dusk.
Fire Dragon Festival in Chinatown
- Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 11:00am to 5:00, parade at 7:00pm
- Location: Chinatown Plaza Mall (180 Keefer St) and 578 Carrall for the parade start
- Admission: Free!
Guests are invited to come see and touch the Fire Dragon, enjoy a series of family-friendly workshops, and witness an exciting dance performance.
Daytime Activities at Chinatown Plaza Mall
- Puppet storytelling by Allison
- Pottery with Ariel
- T-shirt upcycling with Christa
- Baking with Francine
- Watercolour painting with Gal
- Paint reclaimed leather earrings with Jamie
- Zine-making/collaging with Jessamine
- Post-it portraits by Regina
- Art therapy with Shannon
- Qilin unicorn dance by Kirin Rising 麒麟革命
- Serigraph prints and fine-printing by Taj
- Performance and sound garden by Burnaby North Secondary Chinese Orchestra
Evening Ceremony and Parade
The main event will see the Fire Dragon with its glowing embers snaking its way through the streets of Chinatown. Follow the dragon and the team of hardworking performers as it twists and turns to the beat of their drums.
There will be an Indigenous welcome by Coastal Wolf Pack, an eye dotting ceremony of fire dragon, and the main parade led by Chau Luen Athletics.
About the Fire Dragon Festival
The Fire Dragon Festival is produced by the Chinatown Celebration Society: “The origin of Fire Dragon Dance can be traced to over hundred years ago in Tai Hang, Hong Kong. After suffering from a storm, the people of Pok Fu Lam Village were attacked by a snake that shattered the village’s peaceful existence.
The villagers caught and killed the snake, but in the days following the snake’s death, a nasty plague broke out in the region. A village elder proclaimed that Buddha came to him in a dream, advising that to stop the misfortune, they must perform a fire dragon dance around the village for three days and three nights. The villagers obliged and miraculously, the plague went away. Thus began the tradition of the Fire Dragon.“
To this day, the Fire Dragon Dance is the main activity of the Mid-Autumn celebration in Pok Fu Lam, and is a traditional custom of the Hakka ethnic group from China.
Follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram for more information.
