Thousands of Calgarians flocked to Chinatown on Saturday for an annual celebration which brings the community alive with music, dance and food.
Visitors to the 2013 TD Chinatown Street Festival marveled at the lion dances, sword demonstrations, and musical acts, while enjoying traditional Chinese delicacies.
“So the Chinatown Street Festival is here to celebrate the vibrancy of Chinatown as well as just to have Calgary come over and embrace Chinese culture in Calgary,” says Michelle Seto, Calgary Chinese Merchants Association. “We're just very happy to have everybody come down and have a fun day with us.”
The bright costumes and crowds of people who lined Chinatown’s roads during the festival, the thirteenth edition of the yearly event, were in stark contrast to the community’s appearance in late June.
The neighbourhood suffered signifiant damage in Calgary’s historic flooding of the Bow River’s banks, but the hard work of the Chinatown community ensured the summer festival continued its run.
