People from across Metro Vancouver will descend on Chinatown this weekend for one of its marquee events. The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation produces Light Up Chinatown!, which will be held in the 500 block of Columbia Street on Saturday (August 8) and Sunday (August 9). Presented by RBC, it runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
“Six years ago, we launched Light Up Chinatown! as a lifeline for our small businesses, at a time when this neighbourhood needed visitors and tourism back more than ever,” Vancouver Chinatown Foundation chair Carol Lee said in a statement. “Today, it has grown into one of Vancouver’s most anticipated summer festivals, drawing upwards of 20,000 people over two days to celebrate everything that makes Chinatown special.”
The Odlum Brown Main Stage will be the site of performances by many popular local musicians, including Marie Hui, Silk Road Music, and The Phonix Band. Also appearing will be the breakdancing Now or Never Crew and R&B singer, songwriter, and theatre artist Krystle Dos Santos, among others.
New food combos in Chinatown
Once again, Light Up Chinatown! is presenting Hawkers Lane for lovers of Asian street food. It will feature offerings by DD Mau, Eat Fish by Chef Dez Lo, Ember HK BBQ, Mama in the Kitchen, and Street Hawker Eatery.
Another popular feature that’s returning are the food collaborations between different businesses. For example, Beaucoup Bakery will team up with Chinatown BBQ for roasted pork quiche. It will be available at Chinatown BBQ (130 East Pender Street) from noon each day until all of these treats are sold out.
At the same location, festivalgoers can request the Chinatown Affogato, which is a collaboration between DD Mau, New Town Bakery, and Keem Ice Cream.
Then there are the meatball dumplings by Say Hey and Dicky’s Dumps. They can be found at 156 East Pender Street, starting at 11 a.m. each day until they’ve vanished off the shelves. And the fourth collaboration is the white rabbit bubble tea roll between Foo Hong Curios and Buttermere Patisserie. It will be available at 168 East Pender Street from noon each day.
Events like this and other Vancouver Chinatown Foundation initiatives—such as the Chinatown Storytelling Centre—are playing a critical role in the neighbourhood’s comeback.
“More than just a festival, Light Up Chinatown! has become a driving force behind Chinatown’s revitalization, transforming how people experience this neighbourhood and setting a model for what community-led initiatives can achieve,” Lee said.
For more information on Light Up Chinatown!, visit the website.
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