Vancouver’s Hakka House says the city will host its first Hakka-led, Hakka-created fire dragon on Sept. 27 at Chinatown Memorial Plaza as part of the Hakka Youth Fire Dragon Ritual and Cultural Festival.
The Story
Vancouver’s Hakka House has scheduled the Hakka Youth Fire Dragon Ritual and Cultural Festival for Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, at Chinatown Memorial Plaza, with organizers saying it will feature the first Hakka-led, Hakka-created fire dragon produced in Vancouver.
Organizers say the dragon was made locally by the community. They say its materials include plants from Coast Salish Indigenous lands as well as herbs and plants associated with Chinese medicinal traditions, and that its body will include lanterns decorated with community well wishes and stories.
The festival is built around a fire dragon ritual intended to reflect traditions practiced by Hakka communities worldwide. Organizers say the program will include storytelling about the dragon’s origins and an incense ritual, and that attendees will be encouraged to dance along when the dragon is brought out.
The broader program will also include a “living library,” lantern decorating, community cultural performances, poetry, singing and music. A Hakka kirin (Chinese unicorn) dance by 麒麟革命 Kirin Rising is also scheduled, and organizers say tea and refreshments will be available.
Organizers describe the Hakka people as a subgroup within the Han with no specific territory in China. They say the term “Hakka” is associated in Chinese languages with “guest families,” reflecting histories of migration and displacement.
The event is scheduled to run from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Chinatown Memorial Plaza, 137 Keefer St. Admission is free, and organizers say the festival is open to all ages.
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