Year of the Rat Temple Fair

In Chinese culture, the rat is a sign of wealth and surplus; associated with success, but also simple contentment. A rat year welcomes change and new beginnings, and is especially encouraging for creative endeavours.

Join us after the Spring Festival Parade in Chinatown to warm up and continue the festivities! Come with friends and family, and enjoy traditional crafts and activities, live music performances, tea tastings, a calligraphy contest, and more.

Open to the public by suggestion donation of $5.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

All-day activities
- Gong Fu Cha tastings
- Festive crafts
- Calligraphy demonstration
- Vendor marketplace
- Investigation of Things 格物 exhibition

Music
11:00am – 12:00pm, 12:20pm – 1:20pm | Erhu performance by Cilin Jiang
1:40 – 2:40pm, 3:00 – 4:00pm | Guzheng performance by Selena Yu

Photo Booth
11:00am – 1:30pm, 2:00 – 4:00pm | Get your photo taken with an ancient Chinese scholar

Storytelling of the Chinese zodiac and the Nian monster
In English with Mandarin – 11:15am, 12:00pm, 12:45pm, 1:30pm
In English with Cantonese – 2:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm, 3:30pm

Hot Food
12:00 – 4:00pm | Food from True NOSH

Lion Dance
2:30 – 3:00pm | Lion Dance and martial arts performance by Mah’s Athletic Association

Calligraphy
11:00am – 3:00pm | Calligraphy Contest

Show off your calligraphy skills for a chance to win a special Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden tea set. Write a maximum of four characters or words (in Chinese, English, or any other language). You’re welcome to bring your own calligraphy brush for luck! One entry per participant. The winner will be determined by master calligrapher William Chen.

Vendors
THE CHINESE TEA SHOP
Located in Vancouver’s Chinatown, The Chinese Tea Shop is a very traditional Chinese teashop. The owner, Daniel, is a tea lover, a patient listener, and teacher. He insists on the highest quality in everything, from the tea products themselves to offering expert instruction and advice. thechineseteashop.com

SHANG GU TEAHOUSE
Located in central Vancouver near Science World, Shang Gu is a tea supplier and private teahouse. All the teas come from mountain tea gardens full of ancient tea trees in Yunnan China, where the highest quality Chinese teas are produced. www.shangguteahouse.com

AROMA TEA HOUSE
Founded in Vancouver in 2001, Aroma Tea House is a teashop and local branch of Hong Kong’s Aroma Tea House chain. It provides a wide range of tea for tea lovers in Vancouver. www.aromateahouse.com
More info