Chinatown
Aug or Sep
Times vary
2021
Celebrate the heart of Chinatown
Wander through Chinatown, adorned with colourful lanterns, pulsing with live entertainment, and enveloped in the aroma of Asian spices. Encounter lion dancers, Chinese opera, and contemporary artists on an outdoor stage. Discover Chinatown’s businesses through a fun scavenger hunt with prizes. While you explore, grab some street food, prepared before your eyes and made to be enjoyed on the go.
For two days, the 500-block of Columbia and neighbouring streets are transformed into the site of a free, family-friendly event, Light Up Chinatown! The festival started in 2021, during a time of economic hardship and anti-Asian racism that was brought on by the pandemic. The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation set out to uplift local merchants, bring people together, and welcome everyone to celebrate the neighbourhood’s heritage and history.
Today, the festival’s vision lives on as one of Vancouver’s key events, inviting you to step into a festive space, where heritage is not just shared, but joyfully kept alive through art, food, and the simple power of coming together.
What to expect
Hawkers Lane
Discover festival-only street food at open-air kitchens, where sizzling woks, savory aromas, and steaming dishes bring Chinatown’s flavours to life.
Limited-edition food collaborations
Taste one-of-a-kind dishes created by duos of iconic Chinatown eateries paired with celebrated restaurants of different specialties.
Live entertainment
Watch cultural performances and modern entertainment share the spotlight, from traditional Chinese opera and lion dance to contemporary singers and more.
A scavenger hunt
Explore Chinatown, gather stamps from participating businesses and complete your Passport for a chance to win prizes. No purchase is necessary.
Kids Zone
Bring the family for creative activities like face painting, crafts, and cultural workshops that introduce kids to traditions like lantern making and kung fu.
Where is Light Up Chinatown festival?
Head to the 500-block of Columbia Street to reach the Light Up Chinatown! festival central hub. This is where you'll find Hawkers Lane, the Kids Zone, the outdoor stage, and the Passport Tent.
The festivities flow into neighbouring streets, inviting you to roam and discover historic landmarks and Chinatown businesses.
Vancouver Chinatown
Vancouver’s Chinatown is one of the oldest in Canada and among the three largest in North America. When you arrive at this historic Vancouver neighbourhood, you are stepping into a space shaped by the resilience of early Chinese settlers who arrived in the 1880s. At the time, these pioneers faced discriminatory laws and they looked after each other by building a self-reliant community.
By creating a space where they could protect their heritage, support one another through shared resources, and keep their traditions alive, Chinatown became much more than a neighbourhood. It grew into a powerful community of mutual support, cultural pride, and family connection.
The Light Up Chinatown festival shines a light on this journey. It celebrates the resilience and strength of a community that turned Chinatown from a place of refuge into a landmark that shapes Vancouver’s economy and diverse identity.
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How to get to Light Up Chinatown
By car, taxi, or rideshare: For GPS navigation, search for the 500 block Columbia Street.
By transit: Buses #3, #8, #19, and #22 all stop at East Pender and Main. From the stop, walk one block west on East Pender until you reach Columbia Street, where the festival grounds begin. If you are arriving by SkyTrain, both Stadium-Chinatown Station and Main Street-Science World Station are an easy 10-minute walk away. Use the TransLink Planner to map your trip.
By bike: You can get to the festival via the Adanac Bikeway, an east-west cycling route that connects seamlessly to Chinatown. Use Vancouver's interactive cycling map to plan your route.
Accessible arrival: There is a drop-off alcove near the Keefer House Hotel, 123 Keefer. It’s one block from the festival site.
Parking: The closest parking is at Chinatown Plaza at 106 Keefer Street. If this is full, the International Village Mall parkade at 88 West Pender is a six-minute walk away. Both have accessible parking. Metered street parking is also available.
Paying for parking: Using parking apps is the most convenient way to attend events in Vancouver. You can skip the pay station and add more time remotely. For street parking, use PayByPhone or HotSpot. Chinatown Plaza accepts PayByPhone, Zipby, HonkMobile, or ParkMobile. The International Village Mall parkade uses hangTag. If you prefer to pay on-site, parking machines accept credit cards.
Light up your festival experience
- Review the program ahead of time: Study the Light Up Chinatown schedule to select the performances and activities you don’t want to miss. Then build your arrival and food breaks around them.
- Arrive early: Plan to arrive early to score convenient parking, grab limited-edition dishes before they sell out, and claim a prime spot for the performances.
- Come hungry: Between Hawkers Lane and the exclusive food collaborations, you’ll want room for both. Chinatown is also home to celebrated eateries. Many count toward your Passport stamps and offer specials during the festival.
- Prepare for the weather: Light Up Chinatown is mostly an outdoor festival with scheduled activities indoors. Check the weather forecast and bring essentials accordingly, like sunscreen, hat, rain jacket or umbrella.
- Wear comfortable shoes: You will be on your feet exploring food stalls and shops, plus walking to performance and workshop venues. Prioritize comfort to ensure foot fatigue does not cut your festival day short.
- Take a breather: If you need a break, stroll to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Park, a free public park less than 2 blocks from Columbia. It has a traditional Chinese pavilion and open lawn areas where you can sit and relax. Next to the park is the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, which you can enter for an admission fee. The Ming Dynasty-style garden is a serene oasis that also serves as a living museum, with rotating art exhibitions and workshops that bring centuries of tradition to life.
