Written by Fête Chinoise Editorial Team, WITH NOTES FROM THE CHINESE CANADIAN MUSEUM
Image Credits: Mayowill (William Luk)

To celebrate its first anniversary, the Chinese Canadian Museum hosted the Spark Community Dinner on Thursday, July 4, welcoming over 800 leaders, organizations, community members, supporters, and guests to Vancouver Chinatown's Floata Seafood Restaurant. The festive gathering, held to commemorate the museum's inaugural year, raised support for the non-profit organization's future exhibitions and programs.

The Chinese Canadian Museum is the first of its kind to honour Chinese Canadians’ history, contributions, and heritage, elevating the voice of the community. Since its grand opening at the Wing Sang Building last year, the museum has received over 28,000 visitors and hosted more than 500 guided tours for the general public.

Beyond exhibitions, the Museum has been very active in outreach efforts to promote the culture and history of Chinese Canadians, recognising the importance of passing this knowledge down to the next generation. Offered in English and Chinese, its educational programs cater to students from Grades K to post-secondary levels. In the past year, the Museum has hosted over 70 school visits and tours.

Hosted by Fred Lee and Mary Lo, the evening brought together a spirited celebration of culture and community, showcasing the museum's role in elevating Chinese Canadian voices through its invigorating and transformative exhibitions and programming. Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the Chinese Canadian Museum, announced an upcoming featured exhibition opening this September — "Reshaping Collections: Where History Meets Arts," which will include new artist commissions inspired by the Wallace B. Chung and Madeline H. Chung Collection at UBC Library.

Guests enjoyed a sumptuous meal while celebrating the cultural richness and contributions of the Chinese Canadian community. They were also treated to a best dressed award judged by two prominent Chinese Canadians — Olympic gold medal-winning figure skater Patrick Chan and former Miss World Pageant judge Sandra Sung.

The gala featured various entertainment programs throughout the night, providing guests with a curated cultural experience, including a drumming performance, rosé tasting, bubble tea tasting, sugar candy making, and raffle draws. Fête Chinoise was proud to support the evening by donating a special gift bag for the raffle draw and offering our 2024 Design Annuals at each table, adding a touch of magic to the event.

Together, we celebrate the first year of the Chinese Canadian Museum, and we wish them continued success in spreading and elevating Chinese Canadian stories within the community!

To learn more about Chinese Canadian Museum, read below:

History In Full Circle: The Chinese Canadian Museum

Chinese Canadian Museum Officially Opens To The Public 華裔博物館盛大開幕

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