Join Bagua Artist Association and Steven Dragonn in building the body of the fire dragon for this year’s Fire Dragon Festival! Learn this hands-on traditional craft alongside these skilled artists and other members of our Chinatown community while helping bring this Mid-Autumn celebration to life.
Volunteers helping build the body of the fire dragon on September 10, 2023. Photo credit: Russell Chiong.
The Fire Dragon Festival has commissioned Bagua Artist Association and Steven Dragonn to build the body of the dragon this year, and the community is welcome to participate at 8EAST (8 East Pender Street, at the corner of Carrall and Pender) this Sunday, September 17 from 11am-4pm. Snacks will be provided; please RSVP by emailing info@firedragonfestival.com to help the organizers ensure that there are sufficient snacks.
When: Sunday, September 17 from 11:00am to 4:00pm
Where: 8EAST at 8 East Pender Street
Cost: Free! (RSVP by emailing info@firedragonfestival.com)
The fire dragon is the focus of the Fire Dragon Festival – Saturday’s festivities will culminate in the eye-dotting festival to symbolically bring the dragon to life, followed by a parade from Carrall Street to the Chinatown Memorial Plaza (see the parade route below). The straw body of the dragon will be studded with lit incense sticks as it makes its journey up Keefer Street towards the Chinatown Memorial Monument.
2022 Fire Dragon Festival Parade. Photo credit: Jonathan Desmond.
While the fire dragon in Tai Hang (where the festival originated) is woven from grass and rope to over 200 feet long with 32 segments, Vancouver’s fire dragon this year will be a bit shorter at 8 segments long, and made of local hay. Hosted and organized by the Chinatown Celebration Society since 2022, this is the third annual Fire Dragon Festival and the fourth in Vancouver since it was first brought to the city in 1975. For more information on the upcoming festival, read here.
Things to bring:
- Water to stay hydrated
- A mask, long-sleeves, and/or gloves for those with hay/seasonal allergies.
For more information, check out this article, this event page, or the Fire Dragon Festival website.
To volunteer at the festival itself on September 23rd, sign up here.
COVID Safety Information
For the health and safety of all our community members (especially seniors, disabled and immunocompromised folks), we highly encourage you to wear a face mask (preferably KN95, KF94 or N95). This is especially encouraged for this volunteer opportunity as the building of the fire dragon will take place indoors. We encourage you to exercise caution with regards to symptoms and testing for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.
Accessibility Information
Transit: Chinatown is accessible by transit via skytrain. The closest skytrain station is Stadium-Chinatown.
Parking: There is street parking available in Chinatown, and lot-parking at the Chinatown Plaza mall.
Water: Please bring your own water to keep hydrated.
Bathrooms: There is an accessible restroom at 8EAST.
Parade Route
Map of the Fire Dragon Festival 2023 Site, showing the Chinese Canadian Museum at 51 East Pender, the Chinatown Memorial Square at 105 Keefer, and the start of the parade at Carrall Street between Keefer and Pender Streets.
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