For the past four years the storied streets of Victoria’s Chinatown – Canada’s oldest and North America’s most architecturally intact – have come alive with the colour, music, and unmistakable energy of community during the Awakening Chinatown festival.
On May 25, from noon to 5:30 pm, the Victoria Chinatown precinct once again transforms into a vibrant celebration of Chinese Canadian heritage, inviting locals and visitors alike to rediscover the rich tapestry woven by generations of immigrants who made this neighbourhood their home.
This free, family-friendly festival, produced by the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society (VCMS) and supported by lead sponsor RBC, marks Asian Heritage Month and is a living tribute to the resilience, creativity, and enduring spirit of Victoria’s Chinese Canadian community.
As VCMS Board Chair Grace Wong-Sneddon notes, “Victoria’s Chinatown is the cradle of the Chinese Canadian community. We want to share how Chinese immigrants shaped this city, province, and country, grow community pride in this unique, special neighbourhood, and celebrate the resilience and agency of the Chinese, one of the first Asian groups in Canada.”
A Day Bursting with Culture and Connection
The festival’s opening ceremony sets the tone with the Dotting of the Eyes, a centuries-old ritual that “awakens the lions” and symbolizes good fortune and prosperity for all. Soon after, the air fills with the pulse of drums and the swirl of colourful costumes as the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club’s lion dancers parade through the crowd, blessing the festival and its guests.
Throughout the afternoon, multiple stages and activity areas offer something for everyone:
- Traditional and contemporary Chinese dance performances by youth and adult groups, including the acclaimed Chinese Dance Victoria.
- Martial arts demonstrations that showcase both discipline and artistry, by Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club.
- The melodic strains of harpist Michelle Kwan
- Acclaimed opera singer Alex Chen
- The ever-popular Happy Drum Group
- Magic shows, vocal and dance performances ensure entertainment for all ages.
For those eager to engage hands-on, festival booths beckon with calligraphy workshops, fortune telling, and arts and crafts sessions where families can create dragons or try their hand at Chinese chess, checkers, and mahjong.
A Feast for the Senses
No visit to Awakening Chinatown would be complete without sampling the culinary delights from local eateries. The festival is a chance to savour authentic Chinese cuisine, from dim sum to street snacks, while browsing shops filled with treasures both old and new.
Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future
At its core, Awakening Chinatown is about storytelling-sharing the lived experiences, memories, and dreams of a community that has shaped Victoria for over 160 years.
As Grace Wong-Sneddon recalls, “All these extra grandfathers watched me play, fed me little treats and looked after me and I have never felt so loved… That’s what this community is all about, it’s about a collective society who cares about each other.”
Festival goers are encouraged to step inside the legendary Tam Kung Temple or explore the hidden courtyards and alleyways that define Chinatown’s unique character, and to stop by the acclaimed Victoria Chinatown Museum in Fan Tan Alley to delve deeper into the city’s earliest Chinese pioneers and their enduring legacy.
Whether you’re drawn by the spectacle, the history, or the sense of belonging, Awakening Chinatown promises an unforgettable day that bridges generations and invites everyone to celebrate the spirit of Victoria’s Chinatown-past, present, and future.
All photos: James MacDonald.