The smell of fresh Chinese buns and the sound of drumming filled the air on lower Fisgard Street at Victoria’s fourth Awakening Chinatown.
Held on the afternoon of May 25, the event was expected to draw up to 5,000 visitors to take part in a wide variety of activities and learn more about the capital city’s rich Chinese legacy.
Founded in 1858, Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada, and Robert Fung, chair of the festival, believes this is something that’s worth celebrating.
“A lot of our Chinese communities across Canada came through Victoria,” said Fung. “Victoria’s Chinatown was kind of their landing place.
“We feel it's really important to allow that to happen and allow it to be relevant, evolve and not forget the stories of the people that really are important to us as Canadians.”
Showcasing the city’s vibrant cultural legacy through music, art, and food, Fung and his team wanted to make sure the event would please adults and children alike.
“We've got lots of games, lots of activities, lots of participating restaurants that are active on the streets so people can hang out for the day and then we'll end as usual with opera from the balcony of the Fan Tan Hotel,” he said.
Awakening Chinatown began four years ago as a pandemic recovery effort after the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society noticed a sharp decline in business activity in the district. Wanting to do something about it, Fung and his team launched what has since become one of the city’s most emblematic events.
With no intention of slowing down, Fung hopes the event will become a staple in the capital’s annual festival circuit.
“We would like to see it become something that's part of the festival season in Victoria and also one that people know they're going to come down and get connected with something interesting about the story of Victoria.”
For more information about the event, visit victoriachinatownmuseum.com
