Introducing: Edmonton Chinatown Walking Tours

Back in 2013 and 2014, I was part of a small team of volunteers who wanted to bring some vibrancy to the streets of Edmonton’s Chinatown. Our solution was to program a night market that involved food, vendors, and a variety of performances to help bring more foot traffic to the area and celebrate some of the distinct cultural aspects that Chinatown has to offer.

2014 Night Market

Both markets were successful, and some who attended appreciated the encouragement that brought them to a neighborhood they did not normally have cause to explore. While we weren’t able to continue the night market, we have been thinking about ways to continue highlighting Chinatown that are more sustainable.

Lion dance at the 2014 Night Market

One of the more popular aspects of the night market we had included in both years were walking tours. Led by volunteer community members with expertise in different areas such as history, public art, and food, the tours provided participants with the opportunity to see Chinatown with a different lens, or gave them a reason to return again on their own.

Tour at the 2013 Night Market

In May, Kathryn Lennon and Claudia Wong-Rusnack organized a Chinatown-themed tour as a part of Jane’s Walk this year. More than thirty people turned up, so the interest in learning more about this area of the city is definitely alive and well.

Jane’s Walk tour

In this spirit, we will be offering a series of free Chinatown walking tours this summer, in the hopes of being able to introduce even more people to an area of the city that is sometimes overlooked and underutilized.

Dates: June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, 2017 (second Sunday of the month)

Time: 10:30am – 12:30pm

Location: meet at Edmonton Tourism, 9990 Jasper Avenue (rain or shine!)

RSVP on Facebook: June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10

If you’ve ever wondered why Edmonton has two Chinatowns, learning more about some of the development pressures faced by the neighbourhood, or have been curious about which businesses you should visit, please consider coming for a tour! We’re open to feedback as well, and will be adding information to the tours as they happen.

Hope to see you there!