Pacific Opera Victoria singers Alex Chen and Irina Kim will cap off the third annual Awakening Chinatown event on Sunday, May 26 with a performance from the balcony at 541 Fisgard St.
The pair start at 4:45 p.m., completing a slate of free entertainment that begins at noon, said spokesperson Grace Wong Sneddon.
The main stage for the rest of the festival’s performers will be on the street below, which will be closed for the day to accommodate a crowd that could reach up to 6,000 people.
Lanterns and other decorations will add to the scene to help celebrate “the wonderful tapestry that is Chinatown,” Sneddon said.
Chen said that being part of Awakening Chinatown in its first two years has been a great experience for him with the “vibrant energy” it has brought to the area.
“As a classical singer, it’s been a tremendous outlet for me to share special Chinese songs that are part of my process of connecting with Chinese culture as a second-generation Canadian.”
Sneddon, who chairs the Victoria Chinatown Museum Society, said there will also be plenty of interactive opportunities for festival-goers, including practising calligraphy with Chinese pen and ink and perfecting chopstick skills to get at a tasty treat.
“We also have fortune telling,” she said. “And you can make a dragon puppet or you can learn to play mahjong, Chinese chess and Chinese checkers.”
The entertainment also features a drag performance from Vancouver’s House of Rice, Chinese Dance Victoria led by University of Victoria professor Hua Lin and the Happy Drum Group, made up of newcomers to sa国际传媒 who present a unique combination of dance and drumming.
Sneddon said the public can take in Chinatown’s temple and school, along with the museum in Fan Tan Alley.
Sunday’s gathering will showcase the area and also commemorate Asian Heritage Month.
Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest remaining Chinatown in North America and was designated as a national historic site in 1995.
• Sunday also sees the 18th annual Oak Bay Half Marathon and 10K, as well as the Dairyland Kids Run. The half marathon starts at 8 a.m. at Windsor Park, with those expecting to take over three hours designated for an early start at 7 a.m.
Road closures will be in effect. For a course map and details go to .
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