Celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Taste of Chinatown!
To celebrate Lunar New Year (LNY) and ring in the Year of the Snake, Taste of Chinatown! is back with a month-long celebration featuring different exciting collaborations, culinary treats, special tastings, and cultural activities at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre now until February 2 with special LNY events taking place the weekend of February 1-2.
The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation (VCF) is once again proud to host the much-anticipated annual festival. Chinatown invites visitors to explore the heart of the iconic neighbourhood and support the vibrant small business community.
Chinatown Fun
Check out all the family-friendly Taste of Chinatown! attractions:
Fung Hung Curious (now-Feb. 2) – Shop special Lunar New Year collections, including Justin Crawfart's "Floral Snake," Artbedo's "Bao Lion Dancing, Sugarfina candy bento boxes, and more, all at the gift shop located inside the Centre.
Family Saturdays (Jan. 18) - Free workshop crafting LNY decorations with red envelopes.
Chinatown Cocktail Showdown (Jan. 31) – Eight of Chinatown’s finest bars and restaurants, including Bagheera, Bao Bei, Chickadee, Fiorino, Keefer Bar, Kissa Tanto, Laowai, and Meo, compete for the best LNY-inspired cocktail.
Chocolate & Wine Tastings (Jan. 31) – Sample Hype Chocolate's new Dark Chocolate Holy Duck Chili Oil Bar paired with Haywire Winery's special Lunar Red Wine.
Life-Sized Mural (Feb. 1-2) – Join local artist Serena Chu in colouring a life-size mural of Chinatown.
Selfie Station (Feb. 1-2) – Visit Yucho Chow Studio to take a photo.
Family Activities & Crafts (Feb. 1-2) – LNY candy tasting, red envelope crafting, scavenger hunts, and more.
Culinary Pop-Ups
Try one of these very special Culinary Pop-Ups in celebration of the Year of the Snake:
Haywire Winery Pop-Up (now-Feb. 4) – Special "Lunar Red" wine available at Foo Hung Curious with proceeds supporting VCF.
Bolo BBQ Pork Cruffin (Feb. 1) – Limited edition pastry made with a butter croissant, brioche, onions, crunchy bolo bun cookie, and honey-glazed BBQ pork from Beaucoup Bakery and Chinatown BBQ.
Poached Korean Pear with Goji Berries (Feb. 1) – A bubble tea twist on the traditional Chinese rock sugar pear soup dessert from Boba Run.
Hong Kong Baked Cookies (Feb. 2) – Black sesame caramel, pineapple coconut, and ginger milk burnt sugar cookies with milk tea or almond milk from Saan Saan Cafe.
Chinatown Attractions
Vancouver's historic Chinatown is rich with great cultural activities and culinary destinations. These can make a great entry point into learning more about Chinese culture and the historic neighbourhood during all the Taste of Chinatown! and LNY celebrations.
To learn more about the area, try visiting the scenic Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, take a walk by joining A Wok Around Chinatown or Historic Chinatown Tours, taste traditional Chinese tea at the Treasure Green shop, check out the Chinese Canadian Museum, or browse the Centre's latest special exhibit celebrating the unique heritage of Hastings Street, Neighbours: From Pender to Hastings.
For more great flavours and dining in Chinatown, visiting Chinatown BBQ for an authentic meal, New Town Bakery for a nice treat, Jade Dynasty for dim sum, the Keefer Bar for a fine cocktail, or Bao Bei for a fancy dinner out are all fine spots.
The Chinatown Storytelling Centre is a project of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation and celebrates the power of stories in community building. Through its storytelling, the Centre honours the legacy of previous generations by fostering intergenerational dialogue and cultural understanding.
To browse all the attractions, visit Taste of Chinatown!'s website.