Chinatown Mahjong & Movie Night: The Chinese Mayor

LET’S SHOW THE CITY HOW CHINATOWN BRINGS THE YEE LAU!

We’re back again at the Chinatown Memorial Plaza with another evening of fun and film!

WHEN: Saturday September 7 2024 4:00PM to 9:00PM

WHERE: Chinatown Memorial Plaza - 135-137 Keefer St

As summer rolls to a close let’s enjoy the summer sun once more TOGETHER!

We’ll be opening with a performance from Kirin Rising! Chinatown’s new youth team continuing the Hakka traditions of kirin dancing. They’ll also have a booth at the event where you can try it out yourself so don’t be shy!

You asked for it so we’re bringing out all the mahjong tables and will have a whole section dedicated to throwing those tiles down! If you’re new or rusty to mahjong no worries! We’ve got three on-site instructors to get you familiar and confident with the rules of the game!

We’re also bringing back William’s Library! The community really came through! Not only has William’s Library become a staple initiative for the community to connect through books vinyls and music but we’ve also received item donations from the community to expand William’s Library! If you’ve enjoyed learning about William and browsing William’s Library you’ll want to check out the new additions from community donations. Everything is free or by donation - any and all donations will go towards Yarrow Society a non-profit that William cared deeply about.

Lastly we’ll have our films for the evening starting at 7:00PM wrapping around 9:00PM. Starting with film archives from local late activist and filmmaker Sid Chow Tan presented by Byron Peters then followed by our full-length feature film The Chinese Mayor (2015) - a biography of Chinese Mayor Geng Yanbo who demolishes 140000 homes for economic growth and tourism and the public protests that follow.

Event Amenities:

Complimentary snacks and beverages will be provided courtesy of Chinatown Together.

To ensure inclusivity interpretation will be available in English Cantonese and Mandarin.

T hings to bring:

- Water to stay hydrated

- A chair as chairs are limited and seating will be prioritized for seniors

- Cash for an optional donation to William’s Library!

In the face of ongoing gentrification it's crucial for us to unite in support of our Chinatown and DTES communities honor our elders and their cultural heritage and revel in the collective joy of artistic expression.

Through each Chinatown Together event we are dedicated to backing grassroots efforts amplifying the genuine voices of our community reclaiming our cultural roots and safe spaces and standing firmly united against encroaching gentrification. Celebrating community joy is our most powerful resistance to these forces - let's come together and celebrate in Chinatown as one!

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COVID Safety Information

For the health and safety of all our community members (especially seniors disabled and immunocompromised folks) we are making this event mask mandatory (preferably KN95 KF94 or N95). If you do not have a mask we will provide masks on site.

Accessibility Information

Transit: Chinatown is accessible by transit via skytrain and bus. The closest skytrain station is Stadium-Chinatown. The 3 8 19 and 22 bus lines are some of several in the area.

Washrooms: There are public washrooms available inside Chinatown Plaza Mall.

Water: Please bring your own water to keep hydrated.

This event was made possible with the help of Neighbourhood Small Grants and the City of Vancouver.

Host or Publisher SaveChinatownYVR