A multicultural fair where visitors can feast on a variety of dumplings will be held this summer in Coquitlam.
The inaugural BC Dumpling Festival is set for Saturday, Aug. 13 near Lafarge Lake in Town Centre Park.
Organizers hope to attract more than 10,000 visitors during the day-long event to sample dumplings handmade by vendors.
Admission is by donation.
Celia Chiang, a director with the Asian Impact Society — a non-profit that she co-founded last year with Gina Chong and Tiffany Duff — told the Tri-City News that the idea for the dumpling fest sprang after the group’s first rally at Town Centre Park last May.
The rally aimed to raise awareness about the Asian discrimination since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“There has been a lot of negativity toward Asians in the last couple of years,” Chiang said, noting a hate-related incident that Chong and Duff experienced.
“Our mission is to bring communities and individuals together, make a difference and appreciate each others’ diverse cultures.”
Chiang said she’s hoping the public will be able to try out Chinese dumplings such as xialongbao — a type of small Chinese steamed bun prepared in a bamboo steaming basket — as well as Italian ravioli and Polish pierogis, among others.
There will also be a dumpling competition, food trucks, a beer garden and live entertainment.
“It’s very much geared to families,” said Chiang, who co-founded Shop Local in Port Moody. “And food always brings people together.”
Eric Kalnins, Coquitlam’s tourism manager, told the Tri-City News that he’s encouraged to see festivals, events and sports tournaments coming back to the city this year, now that the provincial health restrictions around COVID-19 are easing.
“We are excited to see long-established festivals such as the Festival du Bois and ScotFest BC return to full capacity, as well as new events, such as the CanWest Games, Caribbean Days Festival and the Dumpling Festival, choose our city for their events.”
“These events add vibrancy to our local visitor economy and are enjoyed by residents and visitors to Coquitlam,” Kalnins added. “The Dumpling Festival will be unique to Metro Vancouver and is a great way to experience the diversity of cultures in our community.”
Meanwhile, sponsorship packages and vendor applications are now available for businesses wanting to be part of the festival; volunteers are also sought.
Visit asianimpactsociety.com or email [email protected] to help.
