Happy Lunar New Year! 恭喜发财

On February 7, 2026, we will celebrate Lunar New Year with a community celebration. Join us between 10:30AM - 12:30PM in the Strathcona gymnasium for this fun free event including a lion dance, activities, crafts, bubble tea, snacks and more! Make sure to join us by 11:30AM for a lion dance performance from Chau Luen Athletics (more info below).

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Lion Dance performance from Chau Luen Athletics
Chau Luen Athletics is a kung fu and lion dance school in the Strathcona / Chinatown neighbourhood. They pride themselves on teaching traditional techniques in their inclusive and accessible classes. Through captivating lion dances and dragon dances, they help preserve Chinese culture at community events across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

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Past LNY Events

In 2021 we celebrated online with a series of videos sharing Lunar New Year traditions from our community members. 

士達孔拿社區中心期望與大家保持聯繫

Calligraphy with Lau Wai Yin

Celebrate Lunar New Year with beautiful calligraphy by Lau Wai Yin. Mr. Lau has been teaching calligraphy at Strathcona Community Centre for more than 20 years. Here he demonstrates Lunar New Year couplets, writing best wishes for the new year.

One Red Envelope Lantern

In this video, Katherine To shows us a variety of crafts made from red envelopes and demonstrates how to make a small, simple lantern from just one red envelope.

Cherry Blossom Lantern 

Katherine demonstrates how to make a cherry blossom lantern using 10 envelopes.

Dumplings with Katherine To

We learn how to fill and cook dumplings at home for Lunar New Year - or anytime! 

Recipe: Pork and Spinach Dumplings 

  • 1 package dumpling wrappers (36 wrappers)
  • 1lb ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 bunches spinach
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Toss spinach into boiling water and boil for 2 minutes.
  2. Transfer spinach from boiling water to cold water.
  3. Drain, squeeze dry and chop the spinach.
  4. Mix ground pork with water then add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl, mix well.
  5. Put 1 tablespoon of filling in center of each dumpling wrapper
  6. Brush edges of the wrappers with a bit of water. Fold them in half and gently pinch the edges together.
  7. To boil dumplings, bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add dumplings in the pot and cook them until they float. Let them cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Take the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and serve.

Lunar New Year Traditions Audio

Approaching Lunar New Year, we had a chance to chat with two outstanding members of our community, Ms. Tam and her daughter May, about their Lunar New Year traditions. 

This year Ms. Tam is approaching 90 years old. She's been living in Strathcona for more than 25 years and is a great grandmother of 4 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. She is an active community member and has been a volunteer in cooking meals and teaching Tai Chi for 18 years years at Strathcona Community Centre. Ms. Tam has been keeping herself busy working and helping the community until 88 years old. Last year a few injuries and COVID resulted in her being unable to continue her community work.

May is Ms. Tam’s daughter. She is a grandmother who has 4 grandchildren. May has been volunteering in cooking big meals and teaching Tai Chi at Strathcona Community Centre for more than 15 years. She has also cooked for seniors luncheon parties and Stroke Club as well as volunteering at the Chinatown Chinese Library for 4-5 years.  May and Ms. Tam also volunteered to plan and cook party luncheons of more than 100 people in the past years.

The conversation was translated and facilitated by Anne Yue, who works on the Strathcona CC Seniors Program and the Food Program.