ABOUT LIGHT UP CHINATOWN!
Light Up Chinatown! presented by RBC is a celebration of the living heritage and diverse history of Vancouver’s Chinatown, produced by the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation.
This annual festival featuring live entertainment, limited-edition food collaborations, and special offerings from merchants takes place at 500-block Columbia Street and neighbouring streets, covering 16 blocks of Vancouver’s Chinatown. The goal of Light Up Chinatown! is to welcome visitors to Chinatown and support one of the last historically Asian neighbourhoods in our country.
2026 Festival hours:
Saturday, August 8 | 11 am - 7 pm
Sunday, August 9 | 11 am - 5 pm
To connect Vancouverites with the cultural history and entrepreneurial landscape of Vancouver’s Chinatown.
OUR MISSION
A prosperous, vibrant, and inclusive Chinatown where people want to work, play, and live.
OUR VISION
ABOUT THE VANCOUVER CHINATOWN FOUNDATION
The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation is a registered charity committed to the revitalization of Chinatown, one of Canada’s most iconic neighbourhoods in the historic heart of Vancouver. The Foundation is dedicated to building a more resilient and inclusive community by promoting the well-being of those in need while preserving Chinatown’s irreplaceable cultural heritage.
Our ongoing projects focus on creating a lasting positive impact such as affordable housing, seniors housing, and cultural and economic development.
To learn more about our projects, please visit chinatownfoundation.org