LunarFest 2024 – Born to be Free

February 9 – 29, 2024 | Ocean Artworks, Granville Island

 

Do cultural symbols represent identity or the limits of it? Is it a reflection on our civilization, or a search for a sense of belonging? Do we only want to tell the stories of the past, or do we hope to create stories for the future?

Traditionally, the dragon symbolizes authority and nobility. After being passed down from generation to generation, what is the essence of the dragon’s spirit? The powerful beast as we know it has become symbols that people take pride in, from warding evil to maintaining balance. Under the shadow of the preconceived dragon, do we feel truly free?

If dragons really exist, if they can really guide our future, if they can represent a community standing strong, if they can give people a sense of belonging… then perhaps the most meaningful way to welcome the Year of the Dragon is for everyone to reimagine that free-flying dragon, soaring through a world where everyone can truly be themselves.

Asian-Canadian Special Events Association is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered here, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples of this land while we engage in meaningful conversations of culture and reconciliation.

© 2026 Asian-Canadian Special Events Association