Amidst the firecracker sounds, a year departs,
Spring breeze brings warmth as wine overflows
the cup.
Thousands of gates, myriad households, in the
bright day,
Welcoming the new peach blossoms, replacing
old charms.
This famous poem was created by Wang Anshi, a famous writer during the Northern Song Dynasty, and it describes the lively, joyful, and moving scenes of people celebrating the Spring Festival. It has been a tradition for thousands of years for Chinese and many Asian communities to celebrate the Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year.
On February 10, 2024 (Saturday, the first day of the Year of the Dragon), the Chinese Society of PEI (“CSPEI”) will be organizing the groundbreaking “CSPEI Spring Festival Fair” and inviting all ethnic groups in PEI to join us for an immersive experience of “Enjoy the festive season with delicious food and beautiful scenery, and welcome the Spring with songs and laughter” with rich and colorful activities, from the morning (10 am) to the afternoon (4 pm) at Eastlink Centre Charlottetown!
The following images must have flashed through everyone’s mind when mentioning the Spring Festival temple fairs: When you think of temple fairs, the following images will surely flash in your mind:
Like a colorful scroll, the Spring Festival temple fairs attract thousands of people to gather at the bustling venue. When you step into the temple, the first thing that catches your eyes are the colorful lanterns and the leisurely fluttering red silks, which embellish the whole temple fair in a picturesque manner.
During this traditional festival, people come in an endless stream to enter the ancient temples to pay homage to the gods and pray for the well-being of their families and the abundance of grains in the coming year. Inside the temples, incense smoke lingers, and prayers are heard, creating an atmosphere of peace and blessings.
The traditional dragon and lion dances rise up in the sky, and the sound of gongs and drums mingles with fireworks, instantly bringing the whole venue to a climax. Song and dance performances and traditional operas were also staged at the temple fair, attracting the audience to stop and watch.
The food at the temple fair is also a beautiful scenery. Snack stalls emit tempting aroma, traditional rice cakes, dumplings, sugar gourds and other delicacies in abundance, tickling people’s taste buds for fond memories.
The temple fair is also a gathering place for all kinds of small commodities, especially handicrafts. Folk artists set up stalls at the temple fair to display exquisite handcrafts, such as paper-cutting, batik, pottery, etc., attracting tourists to stop to watch and feel the charm of traditional crafts.
Look, a bunch of big sugar gourds are holding their red faces~ Listen, the rattling little windmills are laughing. This side of the craftsman kneaded the Monkey King, and that side of the candy blower blew a little lamb! Toys, flowers, and merchandise of all kinds were on display……
In front of the plain-clothed table, the skillful hands race the heavenly work.
The snowflakes are flying and the moon is bright in the sky.
The water is hibiscus, the treasure falls on the jade plate.
The most delicious thing in the world is the freshness of this thing.
“Dumplings are not only a delicacy, but also a part of Chinese culture, as the saying goes, “No food is better to eat than dumplings, nothing is better to be comfortable than stretching out” and “Dumplings with liquor, the more you drink, the more you like”. There are many folk legends and customs about dumplings, all of which are not as important as the flavorful dumplings that fall into your belly and give you a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese culture. During the CSPEI Spring Festival Fair (lunch being provided), voluntary Chinese and local friends of all ethnic groups will be invited to make dumplings, share the fun and skills of making dumplings, cook and eat dumplings together, savor Chinese food, and share a warm time together.
The Spring Festival Fair is a unique blend of faith, traditional culture, food and art, and by participating in it, people not only usher in the beginning of a new year, but also experience a rich and colorful cultural heritage. This unique temple fair culture carries a deep historical heritage and leaves people with indelible memories.
The Dragon Year Spring Festival Fair will start at 10:00am on the first day of the Lunar New Year (Saturday) and last until 4:00pm at Eastlink Centre Charlottetown (46 Kensington Road), which has a spacious interior with a capacity of more than 1,000 people and plenty of parking spaces. The fair will be attended by a wide range of customers in PEI. For businesses, the fair is a great opportunity to showcase their corporate image and expand their visibility due to the huge crowds it brings and the face-to-face interaction with PEI’s large local customer base. In order to reflect CSPEI’s mission “to be a good helper for Chinese and all friends from local communities”, the Board of Directors announced that all businesses in the Spring Festival Fair are free of charge (except for those purely advertising nature). We advocate the spirit of “The sea contains rivers; The universe contains everything” and welcome merchants of all ethnic groups to join the Spring Festival Fair free of charge. Whether you are engaged in goods – services – snacks – art – performances – exhibitions – entertainment, you can find a suitable place for your “seat” in the fair!
The registration channel for CSPEI Spring Festival Fair merchants (by category) is now open! In view of the limited number of booths, interested merchants are welcome to scan the following QR code and fill out the registration form. For sponsorship, please contact ChineseSocietyPEI@gmail.com. Thanks for your support!
