Chinatown Spring Festival Celebrates 50th Anniversary in the Year of the Dragon

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration gears up for its monumental 50th Anniversary on Sunday, February 11th, 2024. Organized by esteemed institutions, including the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., Chinese Freemasons Vancouver Branch, and Shon Yee Benevolent Association of Canada, this milestone event promises a continuation of cultural festivities that have enriched the city for half a century.

Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Spring Festival

Helen Qian, Director of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and President of the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, announced at today’s press conference that the celebration will unfold on the second day of the Year of the Dragon, welcoming enthusiastic public participation.

Since its establishment in 1974, irrespective of weather conditions – be it rain or shine, sleet or snow – the annual Spring Festival Parade has engaged nearly 5,000 individuals representing over 70 cultural groups from various communities. The parade route, serving as a vibrant display of multiculturalism, has consistently captivated a crowd exceeding 100,000 spectators, establishing itself as a beloved, family-friendly extravaganza. In the past year, nearly 200,000 people from various locations attended the festive celebration. Recognized as one of the three largest non-commercial parades in Vancouver, this significant event has become an enduring celebration of diversity and community spirit, and the biggest Spring Festival Celebration cross Canada, Helen added.

Chinese New Year Elevated to a Global Celebration

Consul Yang Guang, representing the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver, emphasized at the press conference that the Spring Festival is not only a traditional Chinese cultural celebration but has become a global event. With many countries and regions designating the Spring Festival as a public holiday, approximately one-fifth of the world’s population celebrates the Lunar New Year in various forms. Political leaders and international figures routinely extend greetings during the Lunar New Year, elevating the Chinese New Year from a national celebration to a global one. On December 22nd, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution designating the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) as a UN holiday.

Consul Yang noted that the Year of the Dragon symbolizes good fortune in the hearts of the Chinese people, carrying their best wishes for the New Year. He expressed confidence that this year’s parade would bring good luck to all participants.

Spring Festival Joint Greetings Advertisement

Fred Kwok, Director of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and Chairman of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, introduced the joint Spring Festival greeting advertisement to be published in newspapers. The fees for the advertisement are as follows: Businesses: $35; Associations: $30; Couples: $25; Individuals: $20. For registration and payment, please contact the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver. The deadline for submission is February 3, 2024 (Saturday) at 4:00 pm. For inquiries, please call (604) 681-1923.

Spring Festival VIP Reception

Syrus Lee, a committee member of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and representative of the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association, mentioned that before the grand parade begins, there will be a VIP Spring Festival Reception to be held in the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants Association. This reception will allow dignitaries to exchange New Year greetings.

Encouraging Youth Volunteerism

Jacky Leung, a committee member of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and representative of S.U.C.CE.S.S., provided information on the recruitment of volunteers for the event. He pointed out that the large-scale Chinatown Spring Festival Parade, which attracts over 100,000 spectators, requires a significant number of volunteers for tasks such as organizing and maintaining order. Volunteer recruitment is currently underway, and he encourages more young people to actively participate. Interested individuals can contact S.U.C.CE.S.S. for registration.

Welcome to Participate, Support, and Sponsor

Raymond Cheung, Director of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and Chairman of the Chinese Freemasons, introduced the sponsorship program for the Spring Festival Celebration, welcoming businesses, associations, media, and individuals to support and participate in the event. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Spring Festival Celebration, the organizing committee will edit and publish a “50th Anniversary Golden Jubilee Commemorative Special Edition.” All are invited to contribute, place advertisements, and help make the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration even more magnificent. For sponsorship details, please contact the Chinese Freemasons.

Spring Festival Celebration Gala Dinner

Mike Jang, Director of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and President of the Shon Yee Benevolent Association of Canada, announced that the Spring Festival Celebration Gala Dinner would take place on February 11, 2024 (Sunday), at 6:00 pm at the Floata Seafood Restaurant. The program includes lion dance performances, New Year greetings, God of Wealth blessings, song and dance performances, and a festive dinner. Tickets are $55 each, and each table (for 10 people) is $550. Due to limited seats, organizations and individuals are encouraged to purchase tickets and reserve seats promptly from the Canadian Shon Yee Benevolent Association. The deadline for ticket purchases is February 3, 2024. The address of the Shon Yee Benevolent Association is 408 Jackson Ave., and inquiries can be made by calling (604) 251-4515.

The Spring Festival Cultural Fair

Weiyu Liang, Vice President of the Chinese Benevolent Association and person in charge of the Spring Festival Cultural Fair, provided details about the arrangement of the Cultural Fair. The Spring Festival Cultural Fair will take place on February 11, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Chinese Cultural Centre, and Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden Courtyard (50 East Pender Street). The Lunar New Year celebration will feature a variety of multicultural artistic performances, including drama, singing, dancing, and other colorful programs, along with Lunar New Year celebration booths. Admission is free, and the public is welcome to attend with family and friends.

Chinatown Spring Festival Parade

Frank Huang, Coordinator of the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration and Vice President of the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, introduced the schedule of the Year of the Dragon Chinatown Spring Festival Parade to be held on February 11, 2024. The parade will kick off at Millennium Gate in Chinatown at 11:00 am, proceeding along East Pender Street, Gore Street, and concluding at the intersection of Keefer Street and Carrall Street. The parade covers a distance of 1.3 kilometers, taking approximately 3 hours. Participants in the parade include representatives from all three levels of the Canadian government, military and police contingents, diplomats from China and various countries, as well as community groups, Scouts, military bands, lion dance troupes, dragon dance teams, cultural and artistic dance groups, and more.

During the press conference, Helen Qian expressed special thanks to community organizations and businesses for their support and sponsorship of the 2024 Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration.

Honorary Chairpersons of the Celebration, representatives from the Presenting Sponsor and Gold Sponsors also attended the press conference and delivered speeches.

For details on sponsorship methods, parade participation applications, applications for cultural and artistic performances, and volunteer registration for the 2024 Year of the Dragon Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration, please follow the Vancouver Chinese Benevolent Association website and directly contact the Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration Committee for applications. For telephone inquiries, please call (604) 681-1923.

Contact:
chinatown.spring.festival@gmail.com