July 1 at the Museum

Join us this July 1 in celebrating Chinese Canadian legacies and culture. From conversations around historical memory, creative crafts, and a special musical performance, there’s something for the whole family!

CRAFTS

Kick off the day from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. with drop-in crafts celebrating our new exhibition Momentum: Power and Identity in Sports. Create your own spirited Crafts that Cheer! By designing a felt banner flag or a foam finger featuring classic Cantonese and Mandarin cheers like 加油! (Add Oil!) or 好波! (Nice shot!).

SCREENING

From 2 to 3:30 P.M., join us for a powerful afternoon of storytelling that brings Chinese Canadian history to life through two moving films. From the Gold Rush-era story of a young girl named Foo-Ling who challenges tradition in The Girl with Big Feet to the extraordinary life of WWII veteran and activist Gim Wong in Gim: The Life and Legacy of a Chinese Canadian, these films span generations of resilience, identity, and belonging. Following the screenings, hear from filmmakers Karin Lee and Daniel Chen about their approach to remembering history and community narratives.

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

End your day with a special musical performance celebrating the timeless tunes in our feature exhibition, Dream Factory: Cantopop Mandopop 1980s-2000. This electric performance by Sky Walker Choir Collective fuses pop medleys with layered choir harmonies for an unforgettable experience!

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2026

• Location: Chinese Canadian Museum (51 E Pender St.)

• Schedule:
  11 A.M. to 5 P.M. – Drop-in Crafts: Crafts that Cheer!
  1 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. – Dream Factory curator’s tour (English)
  2 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. – Film Screenings and Panel Discussion: The Girl with Big Feet and Gim: The Life and Legacy of a Chinese Canadian, in conversation with Karin Lee and Daniel Chen
  3 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. – Dream Factory curator’s tour (Cantonese)
  5 P.M. to 5:30 P.M. – Musical Performance: Sky Walker Choir Collective

• Cost: Museum admission required. Activities are free.

• Register: Registration link here

This event will be conducted primarily in English.

About The Girl with Big Feet

In a deeply resonant tale of female emancipation and cultural adaptation, The Girl with Big Feet (Ts’ekooyaz Buke Ncha) explores self-determination and the painful choices immigrant families face as they navigate a new land. The film stands out not only for its poignant message but for its use of four languages—Dakelh (Southern Carrier), Chinook Jargon, Toisanese, and English—reflecting the complex multicultural reality of early settler life in British Columbia.

Set in 1800s Barkerville during the Gold Rush, The Girl with Big Feet follows seven-year-old Foo-Ling, a spirited Chinese girl whose joyful world in the forest with her First Nations friend Chilh is threatened by the arrival of a Chinese foot binder. As tradition collides with possibility, Foo-Ling must prove to her parents that her unbound feet are not a liability, but a strength in the new world.

About Gim: The Life and Legacy of a Chinese Canadian

Gim: The Life and Legacy of a Chinese Canadian traces the life of the late Second World War veteran and lifelong motorcyclist Gim Wong through his children's memories. In 2005, Gim embarked on an extraordinary cross-country ride, at 82 years of age, to demand recognition and reconciliation for the Chinese Head Tax. Through candid conversations with Gim’s children, old photo scrapbooks, and a funky music video, the film paints a portrait of Gim Wong as an innovator, a family man, and ultimately a symbol of resilience in the face of systemic exclusion.