Vancouver Chinatown Festival This Weekend

Streetfest at the Vancouver Chinatown Festival. Photo: Vancouver Chinatown BIA

Vancouver’s Chinatown celebrates its history and heritage this weekend with a two-day free festival in the very heart of that historic neighbourhood.

The annual Vancouver Chinatown Festival brings 50,000 spectators to Chinatown’s Columbia and Keefer Streets, making it one of the summer’s biggest multicultural festivals. This year, the festival includes an open market, historic walking tours, multicultural stage performances, a 125th anniversary photo exhibition at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum (555 Columbia Street), Youth Talent Showdown 2011, and the fun, festive Streetfest.

The Chinatown Festival Streetfest happens Saturday, August 6, from 6pm – 10pm. The 2011 theme is “cosplay”, and the free fun includes games, booths, carnival foods, local DJs spinning the latest tunes, and more.

On Sunday, August 7, visitors can watch youth aged 15 – 25 show off their talent for dance, music, and more, at the 2011 Youth Talent Showdown.

Both days of the festival feature live multicultural performances on the main stage, Chinese Folk Art Demonstrations that let you write your name using traditional brushes, try your hand at paper-cutting and discover the art of Chinese painting, and the “Kids Corner” activities of face-painting, balloon twisting, and interactive games. There’s also an open market packed with Chinese fare and food to explore.

The free Vancouver Chinatown Festival runs from August 6 – 7, 2011.

Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2011/08/06/vancouver-chinatown-festival-this-weekend/