Calgary’s Chinese Cultural Centre (CCCC) lit up for the first ever Xiang Loong Festival, adding even more life and vibrancy to the city as Stampede approaches.

June 29, 2024 marked the inaugural Xiang Loong Festival, which aims to bring vibrancy and life to Calgay’s Chinatown. The main celebration today had vendors, lion and dragon dance performances, multicultural dances and martial arts demonstrations. The festival spans over three weekends to July 14, and will offer a wide variety of different workshops and performances.

“We know in the past when the Stampede came around, Chinatown became very quiet. Because the Calgary Stampede is just like a giant magnet attracting all of Calgary,” said Tony Wong, president of the CCCC. 

Calgary’s Hotel Association (CHA) said that hotel occupancy for the downtown core is consistently at capacity for the Stampede and occupancy rates reach around 90 per cent for the rest of the city, but historically there have been little to no events in Chinatown during Stampede.

“We hope the Xiang Loong Festival will attract people to our Chinatown so it can become vibrant and full of energy again,” said Wong.

Calgary’s Chinatown previously has had two annual celebrations, the Chinese New Year celebration and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Xiang Loong Festival bridges the gap between the two. 

“Definitely over the last couple of years it has gotten quieter here in Chinatown. The purpose of our Xiang Loong festival event is to introduce more people to what we have to offer and to bolster the sense of community for all the store fronts and restaurants we have here,” Pia Lo, event coordinator for the CCCC.

The Jing Wo Cultural Association contributes to the many things showcased at events like the Xiang Loong festival by having their dragon and lion dancers perform for the public.

“I think it really encourages people to get out of their shell and learn about something new, and it gives us the opportunity to share our own heritage, and our traditions,” said Matthew Ngo, president of Jing Wo Cultural Association.

A full list of events are as follows:

July 6 10:00am – 12:00pm	Chinese style Stampede breakfast free wontons and noodle soup Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
July 7 11am – 4:00pm	Jiang Nan Culture day Specialty snacks and performances relevant to the Jiang Nan region Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
July 13 11am – 2:00pm	Barbecue Free food and festivities Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
July 14 10:00am – 3:00pm	Dragon Boat Workshop 10:00am – 11:00am class at the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre 12:30pm- 3:00pm dragon boat practice at the Glenmore Reservoir (transportation not provided) register here spots are first come first served
July 14 10:00am – 12:00pm	Hong Kong Stampede Breakfast Free shuimai and cheung fun Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre

Xiang Loong translates to auspicious dragon in english, which has a much different cultural symbolism than the winged, monstrous dragons depicted in western pop culture. 

“The dragon represents something divine, something from heaven, something that will bring good luck and protect us,” said Wong.

These are qualities that the CCCC are hoping come to Chinatown with this new addition to their yearly events, and plan on hosting it every year.