Taste of Chinatown returns with food, family and fun for all-ages

Taste of Chinatown is back through Feb. 2.

The annual event, presented by the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, features culinary pop-ups, special tasting events, interactive family-friendly fun and more. The celebration winds up with the big Lunar New Year event ringing in the Year of the Snake.

“Taste of Chinatown is about celebrating Lunar New Year in Chinatown, which has been happening probably as long as the area has been in Vancouver,” says Carrie Leung, director of events and partnerships for the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation. “It’s sort of a play on words, as we want to invite everyone to celebrate the new year all month-long as well as having a taste of our neighbourhood and community.”

With activities geared toward all-ages, Taste of Chinatown is a chance to come and enjoy one of the city’s unique destinations and experience the wealth of unique small businesses in the area.

“It’s such a big celebration in our city and our country and we wanted to bring people down to our physical space at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre at 168 E. Pender St.,” Leung says.

Leung noted a number of scheduled activities to highlight, including:

? Family Saturdays: Enjoy festive all-ages workshops to make fabulous new year’s decorations using red envelopes said to bring prosperity and good luck to your home in 2025. Next up: Jan. 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Register at tasteofchinatown.ca.

? Foo Hung Curious Lunar New Year Collaborations: Always worth a visit for its intriguing goods on sale, Taste of Vancouver is collaborating with local artists and producers to offer unique products to visitors. Among these are a new dark chocolate holy duck chili oil bar with Hype chocolate, artist Justine Crawfart’s floral snake collection and more.

? Serena Chu: Life-Size Mural: Local artist Chu has crafted a giant mural of Chinatown that you are welcome to come and colour in on Feb. 1 and 2, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

? Culinary pop-ups:?Enjoy custom-designed food and drink items such as the Chinatown BBQ x Beaucoup Bakery bbq pork cruffin, as well as specialty offerings from Boba Run and Saan Saan Cafe.

? Chinatown BBQ x Haywire Winery Lunar red wine tasting with chocolate: Slither some of the unique tipple into your glass to raise a toast to the Year of the Snake and nibble some of that aforementioned chili chocolate on Feb. 1, 1 p.m.

While not part of Taste of Chinatown, the 51st Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration kicks off the Lunar New Year on Feb. 2, the fifth day of the new year.

The 2024 event drew almost 200,000 spectators, so be prepared to come early to stake out a good spot to see lion dances, martial arts demos and more.

sderdeyn@postmedia.com