June 4, 2025
Festive dragon dances, eye-catching murals, vibrant new festivals and much more will flood the streets of Edmonton’s historic Chinatown with support from the City’s Chinatown Vibrancy Fund.
Launched in 2024, the Chinatown Vibrancy Fund has already invested $960,000 to support community projects that work towards building a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive Chinatown. By creating opportunities for these cultural events, the City helps preserve the diversity of this culturally significant area while promoting job creation and economic development.
“The Chinatown Vibrancy Fund has successfully created opportunities for connection and showcased everything this historic community has to offer,” said Brett Latchford, Director of Strategy and Emerging Economy. “These new projects have the potential to make Chinatown a vibrant destination, increasing traffic to local businesses and shops. We are grateful to our Chinatown partners for their continued efforts.”
This year, 14 community projects in Chinatown will receive funding, supporting meaningful events, art and neighbourhood activations. One such project is the annual Togather Chinatown Arts Festival, which celebrates local community art through performances, market stalls and family-friendly activities at the Chinatown Multi-Cultural Centre. In 2024, the two-day event attracted over 2,000 people from across the city. The Chinatown Vibrancy Fund will help continue supporting the event in fall 2025 and spring 2026, creating a space for culture and community connection.
“We believe the arts are essential to building strong, healthy communities — especially in Chinatown, a neighbourhood shaped and enriched by multicultural storytelling,” said Emily Chu, artist and organizer, Togather Arts Festival. “This grant plays a vital role in sustaining our festival, which is committed to eliminating financial barriers to access. Our event is free to the public, and we keep vendor fees intentionally low to ensure inclusivity.”
The Chinatown Vibrancy Fund will invest a further $480,000 into the community in 2026. In addition to this fund, the City has invested over $1 million in post-pandemic recovery efforts in Chinatown and over $40 million in neighbourhood infrastructure improvements.
This continues the City’s commitment to growing a strong and resilient economy while helping business start, grow and invest in Edmonton. For more information about the Chinatown Vibrancy Fund, including the full list of recipients, visit edmonton.ca/Chinatown. 