A woman displays models of Chinese dumplings at the 2023 Toronto Dragon Cultural Festival held in Nathan Philips Square. The festival was held from Sept 1 to 3. (PHOTO / CHINA NEWS SERVICE)
Featuring a dynamic story of the legendary dragon's descendants, the 2023 Dragon Festival returned to Toronto with culture, food and new lion dance competitions.
The three-day festival from Sept 1 to 3 in Toronto's Nathan Philips Square featured a range of activities. Dragon and lion dances, acrobatics, Chinese folk music, waist drum dances, tai chi, martial arts on water and ethnic music were performed by Canadian and Chinese artists.
Shan Attaoui, the festival's communications director, said lion dance was featured in a competition, with the rhythmic beat of drums along with spectacular stunts and synchronized agility of the performers.
"This is our way to show Toronto and the world about the essence of Chinese culture," Attaoui said.
Hosted by the Canadian Association of Chinese Performing Arts, or CACPA, the annual festival began in 2018.
Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival attracted as many as 85,000 visitors last year, and it soon became popular in the Greater Toronto area.
Zhang Jian, chairman of the CACPA, told China Daily that the festival is an important celebration of the inheritance of Chinese culture overseas.
"We hope the festival further demonstrates the pivotal position of Chinese culture in Canada's multiculturalism," Zhang said.
"This vivid and interesting picture highlights the cross-cultural value of the festival beyond national borders, and encourages people to deeply explore the connections between different countries and cultures."
A symbol in traditional Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes happiness and luck, and reflects the creative talents, wisdom and perseverance of Chinese descendants.
The festival also provided calligraphy and painting stations that allowed people to try their hand at writing traditional Chinese characters, and ink and wash painting.
Visitors tasted delicious Chinese and Asian street food, while watching an improvised reflection water show presented by Chinese Canadian communities.
"The performing and shows are amazing. I am impressed with the splendid 5,000 years history of China," visitor James Taylor told China Daily.
"From diverse cultural presentations to delicious food, my family and I can find all our favorites here," Annie Kelly, who was accompanied by her husband and two children, said. She said the event has become a yearly tradition for her family before the end of summer.
