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Friends of Chinatown

Friends of Chinatown preserves and promotes the cultural heritage of Chinatown through community engagement, educational programs, and historic tours, fostering appreciation and understanding of this vibrant neighborhood's history and contributions.

Explore Historic Chinatown with us 🏮Join us for a walking tour of historic Chinatown filled with surprise spaces, cool things you never see, &amp; interesting facts about our 100+ year neighbourhood!&nbsp;All ages are welcome. What to expectThis tour will mostly be on foot so please be prepared to walk &amp; stand for the entire tour.Please dress appropriately for the weather. We will be going between outdoor &amp; indoor spaces!&nbsp; We will start the tour at the Chinese Cultural Centre.&nbsp; Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to honour our neighbourhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and local businesses. 💛

Historic Chinatown Tour

Discover the art of Chinese calligraphy in this beginner-friendly workshop 🖌️. Learn basic strokes, simple characters, and how each brush movement connects to Chinatown&rsquo;s living history. All materials are provided, and no experience is needed. By joining, you help Friends of Chinatown preserve cultural heritage and support a vibrant neighborhood. Reserve your spot and spend a relaxed session practicing mindful writing and community connection 🎴.

Chinese Calligraphy 101

Learn simple crochet stitches and craft your own mini dumpling 🥟 in this hands-on workshop. No experience needed&mdash;just curiosity and a bit of patience. We&rsquo;ll provide yarn, hooks, and step‑by‑step guidance.&nbsp; Hosted by Baby Crochet Monster! Hosted by Friends of Chinatown, this event supports our work to celebrate Chinatown&rsquo;s cultural heritage and create welcoming spaces for neighbors and visitors. Come relax, create something cute, and connect with community 🧶.

Crochet Dumplings Workshop: A Beginner's Guide

Step into Chinatown&rsquo;s history 🏮 Join our guided walk through historic streets, family-run shops, and community landmarks. Hear stories of migration, resilience, and everyday life that shaped this neighborhood. All ages are welcome. &nbsp;Everyone is welcome&mdash;whether this is your first visit or you&rsquo;ve been coming here for years. What to expectThis tour will mostly be on foot so please be prepared to walk &amp; stand for the entire tour.Please dress appropriately for the weather. We will be going between outdoor &amp; indoor spaces!&nbsp; We will start the tour at the Chinese Cultural Centre.&nbsp; Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to honour our neighbourhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and local businesses. 💛

Roll, fold, and taste the flavors of Chinatown 🥟🥮 Join our hands-on Wonton &amp; Egg Tart Cooking Class to learn classic techniques! Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown in preserving cultural traditions and strengthening local community life. Come ready to cook, share, and enjoy what you make together.

Wonton & Egg Tart Cooking Class

Chinatown is such a high volume place that there&rsquo;s a lot of litter that gets left behind. Let&rsquo;s clean it up and make it look great!&nbsp;Together, we&rsquo;ll pick up litter, tidy sidewalks, and care for the streets that carry our shared stories. Suitable for volunteers 15+ in age By signing up, you&rsquo;ll help pick up litter, wipe graffiti, and keep shared spaces welcoming for everyone.&nbsp; Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission is to honor our cultural heritage while building a strong, connected community&mdash;this clean up is a simple, hands-on way to do that together.

Chinatown Community Clean Up 🧹

Learn how to make handmade mochi mooncakes 🥮 in a relaxed, hands-on class led by Friends of Chinatown. Together, we&rsquo;ll explore the traditions behind this treat while supporting our work to preserve Chinatown&rsquo;s cultural heritage. All experience levels are welcome&mdash;we provide ingredients, tools, and guidance. Come knead, shape, and share stories with neighbors, then take home your own mochi mooncakes to enjoy 🌕

Mochi Mooncake Cooking Class

Come on your own &amp; meet new people&nbsp;over some bubble tea 🧋💬&nbsp;This is an easygoing social night where you&#39;ll be randomly seated at tables of 4 &amp; have one to one conversations. We&#39;ll rotate every 20 minutes so you&rsquo;ll meet different people! Please note, this event is for those who are aged 30 to 40.&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t worry, we&rsquo;ll have guided conversation topics to break the ice! Spots are limited! Your ticket includes one large drink (which you will choose when you register)🧋&nbsp;

Bubble Tea & Yap (Ages 30-40)

Join us for a sweet walk through Chinatown&rsquo;s dessert spots 🍮🍨 Explore local dessert houses and cafes, taste favorite treats, and meet the people behind these neighborhood businesses. Stops include:&nbsp;banana matcha latte, galaxy jello, shaved ice, mango sticky rice, home made gelato, rolled ice cream, egg yolk custard bun, bubble waffle &amp; of course bubble tea!! Dessert items include dairy. The price is per person &amp; we do not have a children&rsquo;s price. We have to pre-order all the food so you must pay full price for each person that will be present regardless of age. This ticket is non-refundable as we have to pre-order everything from the businesses, but is transferrable if you find somebody else to take your spot.&nbsp; Your ticket supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to preserve cultural heritage and uplift small, family-run shops. Come curious, come hungry, and help keep Chinatown&rsquo;s stories&mdash;and sweets&mdash;thriving. 🎟️

Chinatown Dessert Tour

We are back with more free cantonese classes! Please only register if you can attend all 6 weeks.&nbsp; The City of Calgary has generously funded 3 cohorts of cantonese classes for 15 people.&nbsp; This beginner class is WEEKLY on Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30pm OR 7:45-8:34 PM. There are 2 beginners sessions. Please only sign up for one of the sessions.&nbsp; Each person is able to sign up for the 101 level once for free. If you have already registered before your registration will be cancelled so that we can open up spots to everyone.&nbsp; Due to the limited space, please make sure you are truly able to attend all weeks.&nbsp; This level is suitable if you are an Absolute Beginner. Meaning you know ZERO cantonese.&nbsp; For example, you never had Chinese family speak to you in cantonese before. You never went to Chinese school.&nbsp;

Cantonese 101 - Free cantonese class for beginners

Press Record: 5 Steps to Overcome Camera Shyness and Master Short Form VideoA 1-Hour Interactive Workshop | Facilitated by Jenny Lao, Virtzilla This workshop is built for anyone who knows they should be showing up on camera but keeps finding reasons not to. You will walk away with two things: the confidence to actually press record and a repeatable short-form video framework you can use the same day. Whether you run a service based business, lead a nonprofit, or are building your personal brand, this is the system that makes showing up on camera feel natural, intentional, and worth it. Best suited for: service providers, nonprofit leaders, coaches, consultants, photographers, designers, health and wellness professionals, and anyone who sells their expertise and wants to stop being the best kept secret in their industry. What we cover:Step 1: Why you are really avoiding the camera and what it is actually costing youStep 2: The One Person Framework, how to stop talking to everyone and start connecting with the exact person who needs what you offerStep 3: How to hook your audience in the first 3 seconds before they scroll pastStep 4: What to say in the middle so your content has a point and people actually remember itStep 5: How to close every video with a CTA that moves people to act What participants walk away with:A 5-step short-form video framework they can use the same day, the confidence to press record without going blank, a clear understanding of why their content has not been landing and what to change, and a video demonstration.

Press Record: 5 Steps to Overcome Camera Shyness and Master Short Form Video

Join us for a hands-on zine making or collage workshop 📚✨ where you&rsquo;ll create your own mini-publication.&nbsp; All materials and guidance are provided&mdash;just bring your ideas, curiosity, and any photos or mementos you&rsquo;d like to include.&nbsp; By taking part, you help Friends of Chinatown celebrate cultural heritage, support local voices, and keep our neighborhood&rsquo;s history alive on the page.

Collage & Zine Making Workshop

Until July 27Practice Mandarin in a relaxed, welcoming space every Monday 🗣️ All levels are invited&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re learning your first phrases or brushing up on fluent conversation. Volunteers help guide small-group chats.&nbsp;$5 fee includes snacks and also helps us fundraise towards keeping Chinatown clean! All ages welcome. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent.&nbsp;

Mondays Mandarin Convo Club - All levels

Learn to fold juicy siu mai &amp; bake flaky egg tarts 🥟🥮 in a hands-on class led by a local chef. You&rsquo;ll prep, shape, &amp; taste each step, with guidance &amp; time to ask questions. We are a volunteer run non-profit &amp; your registration goes toward our instructors, community spaces &amp; local businesses that host us 💛&nbsp; Come cook, connect with neighbors, and bring home recipes to share.

Siu Mai & Egg Tart Hands-on Cooking Class

Bring your pup &amp; meet new dog friends our Dog Meet Up 🐶 in the heart of Chinatown. This casual gathering welcomes friendly dogs, their humans, &amp; anyone who enjoys being around them.&nbsp; We&#39;ll have an obstacle course setup, along with some treats for you and your pup. Please note that we are not responsible for any injuries or accidents if occurred at this event. Your $5 registration includes:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Use of obstacle course for your dog</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Friendly on-leash meet up with other dogs</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">One goodie bag of treats for your pup</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Snacks for you (the human!)</li></ul>IMPORTANT:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Ensure your dog is up-to-date with their vaccines&nbsp;(Bordetella &amp; Rabies) BEFORE signing up</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">All dogs MUST BE ON LEASH</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Owners MUST bring their own poop bags &amp; pick up&nbsp;after their dog (there are nearby garbage bins)</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Meet at the Sien Lok Park Pagoda - see image below</li></ul><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1782332901/wysiwyg/vwbgpirlvz4u2xc6yv4e.jpg" style="width: 315px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit; background-clip: padding-box; border-radius: 10px;" fr-original-style="width: 315px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable fr-rounded"> Your presence helps build a warm, connected community around Chinatown&rsquo;s streets, parks, and small businesses. 🐾

Dog Meet Up!

Design your own t-shirt!&nbsp; Remember the Rocket? We have a vinyl press and some cool vinyl cut outs for you to design your own t shirt!&nbsp; bring your own t-shirt or tote bags to press on!&nbsp; Step 1: Cut out shapes with vinyl or design&nbsp;Step 2: Arrange on fabricStep 3: Press with Iron press&nbsp;Step 4: Enjoy your work of art!&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1772313138/wysiwyg/edtk5a7zbccmrdrtknnz.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; -webkit-user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1772312932/wysiwyg/l5tqksuvcarzcin21tkv.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; -webkit-user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1772313165/wysiwyg/gw8w3gph09ac0snf5cat.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; -webkit-user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">

Design your own t-shirt in Chinatown! Vinyl Iron press!

Participants will be taught the unique traditional art form of Stone Seal Carving and walk away with their very own stone seal, holding living history in their hands. Facilitated by Jia Yang (Angela), this workshop strives to provide a learning environment for cultural exploration in an authentic and genuine manner, whilst cultivating an appreciation for arts outside of the mainstream. Participants will be provided with all materials necessary for this workshop, including carving tools.&nbsp; By signing up, each participant acknowledges that they are 15+ years of age and also acknowledges the potential hazards of handling these tools and releases the City of Calgary, the facilitator, the organizers, Friends of Chinatown, the Chinese National League/Clay Club YYC, and any other entities involved from any liability should any injuries occur. Two instances of this workshop will be held on July 24th at Chinese National League Main Floor (inside Clay Club) at 110 3 avenue SE. Two times are offered for the workshop from 10:45 AM-12:45PM and the second workshop will be held from 1:15PM-3:15pm.&nbsp; There is room for 15 participants per workshop. A $30 sign up fee is required. This project is funded by The City of Calgary.

Carve your own Stone Seal Stamp

Learn practical ways to save, budget, and plan for the future in this Savings 101 workshop 🧾. Together, we&rsquo;ll look at real‑life money choices facing Calgarians and learn the difference between RRSP and TFSA, learn about compound interest, and also GIC&#39;s vs Mutual Funds.&nbsp; This session supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission to strengthen our community by giving neighbors tools to feel more confident with their finances. All experience levels are welcome&mdash;come with your questions and leave with simple steps you can start using right away 💡.

Savings 101 - Financial Literacy workshop

Join us for a Cute Cookie Decorating Party 🍪✨Decorate cookies inspired your favourite cartoons like Pokemon and Sanrio! &nbsp;All ages and skill levels are welcome&mdash;come as you are and leave with a plate of treats and new connections. You will be provided with cookies already prepped for you to decorate with the colours of your choice.&nbsp; Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown in preserving neighborhood traditions and uplifting local businesses.

Cute Cookie Decorating Party

Join us for an evening of self-care care.&nbsp; Traditional Chinese medicine and doctors will take you through different stations to get acupuncture for stress and post stampede detox.&nbsp; There will be different stations set up for you to explore!&nbsp; If you don&rsquo;t want Acupuncture, there will be ear seeds available, which is pain-free.&nbsp; You will be seated in a chair for acupuncture and fully clothed. Acupuncture will only be on your ears.&nbsp; Must be 18+ to join.&nbsp;

Post Stampede Exhaustion Acupuncture and Wellness event

Come on your own and meet new friends over some bubble tea 🧋💬&nbsp;This is an easygoing social night where you&#39;ll be randomly seated at tables of 4-6 people to chat &amp; we&rsquo;ll rotate every 30 minutes so you&rsquo;ll meet different people! Don&rsquo;t worry, we&rsquo;ll have guided conversation topics to break the ice! Spots are limited! Your ticket includes one large drink (which you will choose when you register).

Bubble Tea & Yap

Explore Historic Chinatown with us 🏮Join us for a two hour walking tour of historic Chinatown filled with surprise spaces, cool things you never see, &amp; interesting facts about our 100+ year neighbourhood!&nbsp;All ages are welcome. What to expectThis tour will mostly be on foot so please be prepared to walk &amp; stand for 2 hours.Please dress appropriately for the weather. We will be going between outdoor &amp; indoor spaces!&nbsp; We will start the tour at the Chinese Cultural Centre. Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to honour our neighbourhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and local businesses. 💛

Learn Mandarin with Friends of Chinatown 🏮 Join our six-week Mandarin 201&nbsp;course and build practical language skills for everyday conversation. This is a weekly class from 7:30-8:30 pm in Chinatown at 110 3 Ave SE. Registration is required.&nbsp; Please only register for this class if you have experienced one or more of the following or can understand basic mandarin and want to practice speaking Suitable if:1) You studied mandarin at Chinese school or university or online2) You lived in a mandarin speaking household&nbsp;3) You watch mandarin tv shows or movies regularly You&rsquo;ll learn in a small, welcoming group that reflects our mission to preserve Chinatown&rsquo;s cultural heritage and support local businesses. All levels of curiosity are welcome&mdash;no prior Mandarin needed. 📚

Mandarin 201 Six week Course

Learn Mandarin with Friends of Chinatown 🏮 Join our six-week Mandarin 101 course and build practical language skills for everyday conversation. Please only register for this class if you truly have zero knowledge of mandarin. If you have experienced the following this class is not suitable for you and you may be asked to withdraw:&nbsp;1) You studied Cantonese or mandarin at Chinese school&nbsp;2) You lived in a mandarin speaking household&nbsp;3) You watch mandarin tv shows or movies regularly You&rsquo;ll learn in a small, welcoming group that reflects our mission to preserve Chinatown&rsquo;s cultural heritage and support local businesses. All levels of curiosity are welcome&mdash;no prior Mandarin needed. 📚

Mandarin 101 Six week Course

Join us to sing together in Chinatown! This event will be hosted by Hannah Pagenkopf a wonderful Calgary based singer and singing teacher. No experience needed. Singing is fun, therapeutic, and there is no better place than to do it in Sien Lok Park.&nbsp; Be prepared to stand or sit on the ground. We will provide lyrics if needed!&nbsp; Songs will be sung in English!&nbsp; We will meet at this Pagoda:&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1780597438/wysiwyg/fjbre6uebbisooaipecb.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; -webkit-user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">

Let's Sing in Chinatown! Free Drop In

Join Friends of Chinatown for Dim Sum &amp; Mahjong 🀄🥟 Share an afternoon of food, play, and conversation as we celebrate Chinatown&rsquo;s traditions and stories.&nbsp; Enjoy a 10 course dim sum meal at Silver Dragon and then learn to play mahjong hosted at the Gee How Oak Tin Association!&nbsp; Note: Dim sum meal includes pork, dairy, chicken, beef and no substitutions are possible.&nbsp; All experience levels are welcome&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re learning your first hand or grew up around the mahjong table. We are volunteer run and your registration goes toward our instructors, community spaces and local businesses that host us 💛 This ticket is non-refundable.&nbsp;If you can no longer attend you can transfer your spot to someone you know! As spots are limited please only sign up if you can attend.&nbsp;

Dim Sum & Mahjong (beginners welcome)

Learn how to make Malaysian‑style pork jerky from scratch!This small cooking class is guided by community cook who grew up with these recipes. This ticket is non-refundable. If you can no longer attend you can transfer your seat to someone you know!&nbsp; As spots are limited please only sign up if you can attend. Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to honour our neighbourhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and local businesses. Come cook, share stories, and enjoy what you make together 💛.

Malaysian  Style Pork Jerky Cooking Class

Let&rsquo;s get Chinatown looking beautiful this summer! Chinatown is such a high volume place that there&rsquo;s a lot of litter that gets left behind. Let&rsquo;s clean it up and make it look great!&nbsp; Suitable for volunteers 15+ in age By signing up, you&rsquo;ll help pick up litter, wipe graffiti, and keep shared spaces welcoming for everyone.&nbsp; Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission is to honor our cultural heritage while building a strong, connected community&mdash;this clean up is a simple, hands-on way to do that together.

Are you on the board or work for a non-profit or charity &amp; want to know more about the legal rules your organization needs to comply with? 🧾 &nbsp;Join us as we answer common questions about qualifying for income tax exemption, maintaining charitable status, and GST! 1. Tips &amp; traps in qualifying for the income tax exemption as a non-profit organization<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Permissible activities</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Budgeting &amp; accumulating revenue</li></ul>2. Tips &amp; traps for maintaining charitable status<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Different charitable designations: Operating as a charitable organization/ public foundation/ private foundation</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Business activities for charities</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">What to know about fundraising &amp; accepting donations as a charity</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Granting activities for charities (including working with non-qualified donees!)</li></ul>3. Sales Tax<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Charging sales tax</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Paying sales tax</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Rebates &amp; credits</li></ul>Whether you&rsquo;re a newly-established organization or have been operating for years, it&rsquo;s always a good time for a refresher on the rules to ensure you are steering your organization toward success. Suitable for board members, non-profit staff,&amp; volunteers.

Non-Profit & Charity Management: Tips for Good Governance & Tax Compliance

Stitch into spring with us 🌸🧵&nbsp;In this hands-on embroidery workshop, you&rsquo;ll learn simple floral stitches inspired by Chinatown&rsquo;s scenery and murals. No experience needed&mdash;materials and guidance are provided.By registering, you support Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to celebrate our neighborhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and create welcoming spaces for neighbors, families, and friends to make art together.

Spring Blossom Embroidery Workshop

Join us outdoors for a martial arts lesson 🥋 led by local instructors in the heart of Chinatown. All ages and experience levels are welcome. We&rsquo;ll move, stretch, and practice basic techniques while learning how martial arts connect to Asian cultural traditions and everyday balance.&nbsp; Location: Sien Lok Park beside the pagoda We are volunteer run and your registration goes toward our instructors, community spaces and local businesses that host us 💛

Outdoor Martial Arts Lesson

Explore Historic Chinatown with us 🏮Join us for a two hour walking tour of historic Chinatown filled with surprise spaces, cool things you never see, &amp; interesting facts about our 100+ year neighbourhood!&nbsp;All ages are welcome. What to expectThis tour will mostly be on foot so please be prepared to walk &amp; stand for 2 hours.Please dress appropriately for the weather. We will be going between outdoor &amp; indoor spaces!&nbsp; We will start the tour at the Chinese Cultural Centre.&nbsp; Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to honour our neighbourhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and local businesses. 💛

Roll, fold, and taste the flavors of Chinatown in this hands-on dumpling and siu mai class 🥟. Learn step-by-step how to mix fillings, fold wrappers, and steam your creations, guided by community cooks who grew up with these recipes. Recipes may include dairy&nbsp;&nbsp;pork and beef&nbsp; This ticket is non refundable. If you can no longer attend you can transfer your seat to someone you know!&nbsp; As spots are limited please only sign up if you can attend.&nbsp; Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to honour our neighbourhood&rsquo;s&nbsp;cultural heritage and local businesses. Come cook, share stories, and enjoy what you make together 💛.

Dumpling and Siu Mai class

Ease chronic stress and pain in community. Join us for an ear acupuncture session designed to support relaxation, reduce tension, and offer gentle relief in a calm, group setting 🧘&zwj;♀️. Only ear points will be accessed. You will be sitting in a chair, get the points in, and then relax for 30 minutes and let the needles get to work!&nbsp; You can choose points that work on stress, chronic pain, or migraines.&nbsp; Once registered you will have to fill out a form for acupuncture doctor, a waiver, and pick your appointment slot.&nbsp; This event reflects Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s commitment to caring for our neighbors and honoring traditions that support everyday wellbeing.&nbsp;

Ear Acupuncture for Chronic Stress and Pain

Explore Chinatown&rsquo;s streets, stories, and small businesses 🏮 on a guided neighborhood walk, then gather for a hands-on zine-making workshop. You&rsquo;ll map what you see, hear, and feel into your own mini zine, celebrating Chinatown&rsquo;s history, everyday life, and the people who keep it thriving. 📚 All ages and experience levels are welcome&mdash;just bring your curiosity.

Chinatown tour and Zine making Workshop!

We are back with more free cantonese classes! Please only register if you can attend all 6 weeks.&nbsp; The City of Calgary has generously funded 3 cohorts of cantonese classes for 15 people.&nbsp; This INTERMEDIATE class is WEEKLY on Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30 pm for 6 weeks.&nbsp; You cannot sign up for both beginner and intermediate on the same cohort.&nbsp; Each person is able to sign up for the 201 level once for free. If you have already registered before your registration will be cancelled so that we can open up spots to everyone.&nbsp; Due to the limited space, please make sure you are truly able to attend all weeks.&nbsp; This level is suitable if you grew up in a cantonese speaking home, understand at least 40% of when your parents talk to you or watch some tv, and you have low confidence in responding in cantonese.&nbsp; You may have gone to cantonese school and forgot phrases, you may be able to understand but not respond in cantonese. You can understand a lot but cannot respond confidently in cantonese.&nbsp;

Cantonese 201 - Free cantonese class for intermediate

Join us for a sweet walk through Chinatown&rsquo;s dessert spots 🍮🍨 Explore local dessert houses and cafes, taste favorite treats, and meet the people behind these neighborhood businesses. Note that the price is lower due to this being a trial tour!!&nbsp; Dessert items include dairy!&nbsp; Stops include: banana matcha latte, galaxy jello, shaved ice, mango sticky rice, home made gelato, rolled ice cream, egg yolk custard bun, bubble waffle and of course bubble tea!! The price is per person and we do not have a children&rsquo;s Price. We have to pre-order all the food so you must pay full price for each person that will be present regardless of age.&nbsp; This ticket is nonrefundable as we have to pre-order everything from the businesses, but is transferrable if you find somebody else to take your spot.&nbsp; Your ticket supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s work to preserve cultural heritage and uplift small, family-run shops. Come curious, come hungry, and help keep Chinatown&rsquo;s stories&mdash;and sweets&mdash;thriving. 🎟️

Chinatown Dessert Food Crawl

Learn the art of the Chinese knot and make your own charm to take home 🎋. In this hands-on workshop, you&rsquo;ll practice basic knotting techniques and explore how these traditional designs carry wishes for luck, safety, and connection. By joining, you support Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission to celebrate our neighborhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and keep local traditions thriving. All ages and skill levels are welcome to create, learn, and connect with our community ❤️.

DIY Chinese Knot Charm

Names carry stories. In this short form, share the Chinese meaning of your name&mdash;or whatever word or character holds meaning for you 🏮. You can include characters, pronunciation, and any family or personal history tied to it. You will be given an acrylic canvas and you will be shown how to paint the chinese meaning of your name! All materials provided. All ages welcome.&nbsp;

Painting the Chinese Meaning of Your Name

Join us for an inside look at traveling to China with longtime China travel buff Ronald Lee 🇨✈️ Curious about traveling to china and don&#39;t know where to start? Let&#39;s ask Ron!&nbsp; Ronald taught in the CBE school system for over 30 years. He is a fourth generation Chinese Canadian and in his pursuit of tracing his roots he went on several trips to China, eventually leading several tour groups. Ronald will share stories and pictures from his decades of travel to China. He will talk about the vast geographical region, possible itineraries and what kind of places to focus on if you want to travel to China! He will offer some practical tips, local insights, and cultural etiquette to help you travel with respect and curiosity.&nbsp; Register below to save your spot and help Friends of Chinatown continue celebrating our community&rsquo;s heritage.

Traveling to China - Destination guide with Ronald Lee

Join us for a hands-on Spring Card Making workshop 🌸 and learn how to create a pop-up bloom card inspired by the colors and stories of Spring. No experience needed&mdash;just your curiosity and creativity. Must be age 15+ to join.&nbsp; Your participation supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission to honor our neighborhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and keep our community connected. You&rsquo;ll leave with a finished card, new skills, and a quiet moment of making alongside neighbours. 🎨

Spring Card Making - Pop Up Bloom Card

Learn to make classic black bean spare ribs and cantonese style fried rice in a hands-on cooking class that celebrates the flavours of Chinatown. 🥢 Guided by a local cook, you&rsquo;ll practice step-by-step techniques, cook together, and share what you&rsquo;ve made. By joining, you help Friends of Chinatown preserve neighborhood food traditions and support our small business community. 🍚 &nbsp;Note: if you already attended one cooking class before, your registration will be canceled and offered to someone else due to the limited spaces available.&nbsp;

Black Bean Spare Rib & Fried Rice Cooking class

Explore Chinatown through dim sum 🥟 in this hands-on intro to classic dishes, tea customs, and table etiquette. Learn how these shared plates reflect the neighborhood&rsquo;s history and daily life. Guided by Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission to preserve cultural heritage and support local businesses, this experience includes stories, tastings, and time for questions. Whether it&rsquo;s your first visit or your favorite spot, you&rsquo;ll leave with new flavors and deeper connection. ✨

Experience Chinatown - Dim Sum 101!

Unwind with free acupuncture designed just for students 🎓✨ Take a quiet pause from exams, work, and city noise with a gentle, small‑group session led by a licensed practitioner. You&rsquo;ll stay fully clothed and relax in a calm, shared space. Only points on the ears will be utilized.&nbsp; Once you register you will get another email for you to fill out your intake form and to pick your time slot between 11-1pm.&nbsp; University students only&nbsp;- you must be 18+ and carry valid student ID. Hosted by Ron Acupuncture&nbsp; this event supports student well‑being while nurturing our neighborhood as a caring, connected community. Spots are limited; please register to reserve your seat. Ren Acupuncture is Calgary&#39;s first non-profit acupuncture clinic. Our services qualify for insurance so don&#39;t miss out on using your benefits!&nbsp;

Student acupuncture

Refresh your wardrobe the intentional way. Bring 3-5 pieces and swap with colour in mind. All tickets are final sale and non-refundable. If you&rsquo;re unable to attend, you&rsquo;re welcome to transfer your ticket to someone else. Join us for a community clothing swap designed to make getting dressed easier, more intentional, and a little more fun. Items will be organized by seasonal colour groups (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), so you can explore pieces that actually work for you, especially those closest to your face. Bottoms and sizing are flexible, so feel free to browse and try things out.

Chinatown earth day clothing swap

Join us for an evening of self-care care.&nbsp;Female Traditional Chinese medicine and doctors will take you through different stations to get acupuncture for stress and hormone balancing, facial Guasha, tarot card reading, women&rsquo;s intimacy coach, and Chinese herbs for hormonal balance.&nbsp; There will be different stations set up for you to explore!&nbsp; If you don&rsquo;t want Acupuncture, there will be ear seeds available, which is pain-free

Women’s Acupuncture wellness event

Explore Chinatown&rsquo;s streets, stories, and small businesses 🏮 on a guided neighborhood walk, then gather for a hands-on zine-making workshop. You&rsquo;ll map what you see, hear, and feel into your own mini zine, celebrating Chinatown&rsquo;s history, everyday life, and the people who keep it thriving. 📚 All ages and experience levels are welcome&mdash;just bring your curiosity.

Join us for a hands-on Peking Duck Cooking Class 🦆🥢 Learn each step of this classic dish&mdash;from preparing the duck to wrapping the final bite&mdash;guided by local Peking duck experts. You will get to taste the peeing duck as well. One lucky participant will get to take the duck home! Your registration supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission to honor our neighborhood&rsquo;s culinary traditions and strengthen local businesses. Reserve your spot, bring your curiosity, and cook alongside community members who care about Chinatown&rsquo;s heritage.

Peking Duck Cooking Class

Join us for a new experience in Chinatown - Cooking class!&nbsp; We will be learning from Clara a true wonton expert on how to make meat filled wontons. We will get to try it with noodles and broth for a true cantonese style wonton noodle soup.&nbsp; All ages welcome but 1 spot per person must be registered as the cooking demonstration area is small.&nbsp; No vegetarian option at this time.&nbsp;Wontons contain pork.&nbsp;

Wonton making class

Learn to overcome perfectionism and hone your art skills using collaging, &nbsp;junk journaling, and scrapbooking techniques with local mixed media artist, Carrie Mah.&nbsp; Join us for a fun and unique experience where you create your own 8x10 collage art using colorful papers, stamps, stickers, magazines from the &lsquo;00s, journaling prompts, and a short Chinatown walk to collect materials from local vendors.&nbsp; No art skills required. Materials provided but we also encourage you to bring your own to personalize your art: receipts, takeout menus, business cards, postcards, flyers, cardboard packaging, chopstick wrappers, packaging material, plastic bags, colored paper or anything else!

Collaging 101 workshop! - all ages

Your gift keeps Chinatown&rsquo;s stories, shops, and streets alive. 🏮 Friends of Chinatown YYC supports cultural events, workshops, and programs that celebrate our neighbourhood&rsquo;s history and help local businesses thrive. Every donation&mdash;of any size&mdash;helps us host community gatherings, share cultural traditions, and create a welcoming space for everyone who calls Chinatown home or loves to visit. Thank you for standing with this community. ❤️

Your gift keeps Chinatown’s stories, shops, and streets alive. 🏮 Friends of Chinatown YYC supports cultural events, workshops, and programs that celebrate our neighbourhood’s history and help local businesses thrive.Every donation—of any size—helps us host community gatherings, share cultural traditions, and create a welcoming space for everyone who calls Chinatown home or loves to visit. Thank you for standing with this community. ❤️

We cannot provide a charity tax receipt! We are non profit but not a charity.&nbsp;Your gift helps clean tagged walls, roll fresh paint, and restore pride on our streets 🧹🎨. Every dollar supports supplies, safe removal, and volunteer crews caring for Chinatown&rsquo;s storefronts and alleys. Friends of Chinatown is committed to preserving our neighborhood&rsquo;s cultural heritage and supporting local businesses. Your donation keeps Chinatown welcoming for residents, visitors, and future generations.

We cannot provide a charity tax receipt! We are non profit but not a charity. Your gift helps clean tagged walls, roll fresh paint, and restore pride on our streets 🧹🎨. Every dollar supports supplies, safe removal, and volunteer crews caring for Chinatown’s storefronts and alleys.Friends of Chinatown is committed to preserving our neighborhood’s cultural heritage and supporting local businesses. Your donation keeps Chinatown welcoming for residents, visitors, and future generations.

Chinatown Graffiti Removal Fundraiser

Join us at the Collectible Show &amp; Swap!&nbsp;Bring your Beanie Babies, Pokemon cards, Sailor Moon cards, Calico Critters, trinkets, and more! By registering, you help Friends of Chinatown celebrate our neighborhood&rsquo;s heritage and support local culture. Tell us what you&rsquo;ll bring or hope to find, and we&rsquo;ll make space for you at the tables 🏮.

Collectible Show & Swap with Bubble Tea & Snacks!

Join us for a hands-on zine making or collage workshop 📚✨ where you&rsquo;ll create your own mini-publication. Theme of the day is summer recap so you can bring pictures or receipts or anything that you want to use to kind of make a collage recap in your summer! You can also come with no supplies we will have random crafts and magazines as well!&nbsp; All materials and guidance are provided&mdash;just bring your ideas, curiosity, and any photos or mementos you&rsquo;d like to include.&nbsp; By taking part, you help Friends of Chinatown celebrate cultural heritage, support local voices, and keep our neighborhood&rsquo;s history alive on the page.

Recap your summer! zine and collage workshop

Practice Cantonese in a relaxed, welcoming space every &nbsp;Wednesday at Royal Tea in Dragon City Mall&nbsp;&nbsp; All levels are invited&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re learning your first phrases or brushing up on fluent conversation. Volunteers help guide small-group chats. Learn to order in Canto!&nbsp;$5 fee includes free drinks and helps us fundraise towards keeping Chinatown clean! All ages welcome. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent.&nbsp;

Wednesdays Bubble tea Cantonese Convo Club - All levels

Let&rsquo;s play mahjong! &nbsp;If you know how to play, grab a seat and play! On Thursdays we have volunteers to show you if it&rsquo;s your first time. Fridays no instruction is provided but we do have cheatsheets for you to refer to!&nbsp; This is a non profit event and gambling is strictly prohibited!&nbsp; Please note you must register each week and can drop in anytime between 6 o&rsquo;clock to 9 o&rsquo;clock. Only guest registered will be able to enter. This workshop supports Friends of Chinatown&rsquo;s mission to honor cultural traditions and bring neighbors together. Whether you&rsquo;re brand new or curious about the game you&rsquo;ve seen in Chinatown caf&eacute;s, you&rsquo;re welcome to join us 🎉. Please note you must RSVP!&nbsp;

Mahjong Club - All levels welcome!

Clay Club is an affordable, fun, and inclusive drop-in studio for exploring ceramic hand-building techniques. Thanks to funding from the City of Calgary we are able to offer spots for free so that you can explore building with clay in an affordable manner.&nbsp; We will release the tickets a few weeks at a time to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to sign up.&nbsp; Note that you can only sign up one time. If you have already signed up once, you will be automatically cancelled to make room for others. Photo ID will be required to ensure no one books more than once.&nbsp;If you are signing up for someone we will reach out to get your guests name.&nbsp; If you like clay club and would like to do it again, please note that they offer low cost options every day of the week for you so take advantage!&nbsp; All ages welcome. &nbsp; +WHAT TO EXPECT+ This is an independent, create-at-your-own-pace studio session. A facilitator is available to help, but structured lessons are not provided. Instruction and guidance BEGINS AT THE BEGINNING OF OPEN STUDIO TIME; Create anything you like using our tools and supplies (or bring your own)&nbsp;-1 LB of clay included &lt; create whatever you want during this time - dish, bowl, mug, trinket, sculpture etc.&nbsp;-Paint your work during the final 30 minutes using coloured slips&nbsp; At the end of your session, mark your work as finished, then place it on the Completed Work Cart&nbsp; +FIRING &amp; PICKUP+ Work is allowed up to two weeks to dry before firing.&nbsp;Firings happen twice per month to keep costs low.&nbsp;Total turnaround time: up to 5 weeks.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll receive an email when your pieces are ready for pickup with specific pickup days and times.&nbsp; If you haven&rsquo;t heard from us within five weeks, please reach out.

Free Chinatown Clay Class! New dates added monthly!

Learn Mandarin with Friends of Chinatown 🏮 Join our free Mandarin 101 course and build practical language skills for everyday conversation.&nbsp;This beginner class is WEEKLY on Mondays for six week. Please only register for this class if you truly have zero knowledge of Mandarin. If you have experienced the following this class is not suitable for you and you may be asked to withdraw:&nbsp;1) You studied Cantonese or Mandarin at Chinese school&nbsp;2) You lived in a Mandarin speaking household&nbsp;3) You watch Mandarin tv shows or movies regularly The City of Calgary has generously funded Mandarin classes for 16 people. Each person is able to sign up for the 101 level once for free. If you have already registered before your registration will be cancelled so that we can open up spots to everyone.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll learn in a small, welcoming group that reflects our mission to preserve Chinatown&rsquo;s cultural heritage and support local businesses 📚

Mandarin 101 -  Free for Beginners (Six Week Course)

Learn Mandarin with Friends of Chinatown 🏮 Join our free Mandarin 201 course and build practical language skills for everyday conversation.&nbsp;This beginner class is WEEKLY on Mondays for six week at 110 3 Ave SE. Registration is required.&nbsp; Please only register for this class if you have experienced one or more of the following or can understand basic Mandarin. Suitable if:1) You studied mandarin at Chinese school or university or online2) You lived in a Mandarin speaking household&nbsp;3) You watch Mandarin tv shows or movies regularly The City of Calgary has generously funded Mandarin classes for 16 people. Each person is able to sign up for this level once for free. If you have already registered before your registration will be cancelled so that we can open up spots to everyone.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll learn in a small, welcoming group that reflects our mission to preserve Chinatown&rsquo;s cultural heritage and support local businesses 📚

Friends of Chinatown

Friends of Chinatown

Events

Events

Collectible Show & Swap with Bubble Tea & Snacks!

Get your tickets

Recap your summer! zine and collage workshop

Get your tickets

Wednesdays Bubble tea Cantonese Convo Club - All levels

Get your tickets

Mahjong Club - All levels welcome!

Get your tickets

Free Chinatown Clay Class! New dates added monthly!

Get your tickets

Mandarin 101 - Free for Beginners (Six Week Course)

Get your tickets

Mandarin 201 (Six Week Course)

Get your tickets

More ways to support us

Donate to Friends of Chinatown YYC!

$152 of $5,000 goal

Donate today

Chinatown Graffiti Removal Fundraiser

$4,566 of $8,000 goal

Donate today

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