Gung Haggis Fat Choy is back this year on February 19th, celebrating the deliciously fun mashup of the Scottish Robbie Burns Day with Chinese New Year cultures and traditions.
Menu highlights previous years have included deep-fried haggis wonton and haggis pork dumpling (su-mei) along with appetizer courses. “Neeps” served Chinese style in the form of pan-fried turnip cake, dim sum style, and traditional haggis served with Chinese lettuce wrap. Toss in poetry, music, and sing-along tunes and you’ve got yourself a party!
Founded by Todd Wong (aka Toddish McWong) in 1998, it started out as a small fundraiser with 16 guests in a crowded living room. 25 years later, the dinner takes place at one of the largest Chinese restaurants in North America, and has spun off into a CBC television performance special and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Canadian Games.
The event is known worldwide for its unique fusion of food and cultures. It’s been covered by Smithsonian Magazine, BBC World News, the Burns Birthplace Museum, and more.
It started with an accident of timing, writes Sarah Hampson for The Globe and Mail. Or more accurately, it started in 1993, five years before the first “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” dinner was held, when Wong was a student at Simon Fraser University. He agreed to help out with that year’s Robert Burns dinner, telling Hampson, “I thought it was this weird ethnic tradition.”
Wong wore a kilt and carried traditional Scottish accessories. “There was a lonely piper. And the haggis tasted really weird,” he told Hampson. “So I decided I would have some fun with it. I called myself Toddish McWong and thought it would make a good statement about multiculturalism.”
The name stuck, and Wong, or McWong, a fifth-generation Canadian of Chinese heritage, saw an opportunity in 1998, when Robert Burns’s birthday was only two days away from Chinese New Year. Wong told Hampson that he went to the library and researched Robert Burns dinners, and invited friends of Scottish and Chinese descent.
The final weekend of the month has theatre, music, food, festivals, and much more! Here’s your big list of things to do in Vancouver this weekend, and check out the brand new February event list to see what’s coming up:
Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend January 27-29, 2023
Family Day, Valentine’s Day, festivals, music, comedy and much more is in store for February around Metro Vancouver! Here’s the big event list which is updated daily so be sure to check back often:
Kids can experience the joys of the great outdoors this spring break at Stanley Park EcoCamps. They’ll uncover mysteries of the natural world, engage in curious exploration, and have fun with other children with these fun nature-based adventures.
Stanley Park Spring Break EcoCamps
These week-long adventure day camps for campers aged 7 to 11 will explore the wetlands, beaches, and forests of Stanley Park.
March 13 to 17, 2023: Forest Explorers (ages 7 to 11)
Venture into the forests of Stanley Park during this week of exploration. Get to know the local trees, plants, and animals that live in our local forests. Where do birds nest? How do species work together? What lives on the forest floor? Play games and expand your knowledge under nature’s canopy.
March 20 to 24, 2023: Signs of Spring (ages 7 to 11)
Spring in Stanley Park means vibrant greens, fresh air, and an abundance of growth. We’ll hone our senses to unlock its seasonal secrets and changes. Which plants are blooming? Who has migrated back? Where are the frogs? What’s making that sound? The forest, wetlands, and beaches are a wondrous place with many exciting mysteries just waiting to be explored.
The Stanley Park Ecology Society is a registered non-profit that promotes awareness of and respect for the natural world through collaborative environmental education, research, and conservation in Stanley Park. Visit the Nature House at Lost Lagoon on weekends, 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Jack Harlow and ODESZA headline the FVDED in the Park lineup June 23-24, 2023 at Surrey’s Holland Park. Tickets will go on sale January 27, 2023. Following a triumphant return in 2022, Blueprint Events and Live Nation Canada have announced that more of the hottest acts in electronic, dance, and hip-hop music will hit the festival’s stage this summer.
FVDED in the Park Lineup 2023
Jack Harlow ODESZA DJ Snake Metro Boomin A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie Ski Mask the Slump God Lane 8 FERG BIA SG Lewis Channel Tres Wax Motif Mariah The Scientist Jeleel! Deathpact Apashe
LP Giobbi Kasablanca ATLiens Golden Features LŪN Ivy Lab Baynk Capozzi HoneyLuv Eprom Kompany Nostalgix SkiiTour The Homies Ravenscoon Calcium
General Admission, GA+ and VIP tickets will be on sale beginning January 27 at 10:00am. Single day lineup will be announced in the coming weeks with single day tickets also available at that time.
FVDED in the Park first launched in 2015 with headliners Deadmau5 and The Weeknd and it’s been a staple of the summer music scene in Metro Vancouver ever since.
