Hong Kong community unites at Mid-Autumn Festival Bazaar in Winnipeg
A new non-profit organization is fostering a sense of belonging by hosting cultural events for Hong Kong immigrants settling in Winnipeg.
On Sept. 24, a group of Hong Kong ex-pats in Winnipeg to celebrate a meaningful tradition from back home.
For them, The Mid-Autumn Festival is more than just a celebration—it's a way to stay connected to their roots while building a tight-knit community in Canada.
“In our culture, it’s a time for our whole family to gather together,” Brenda Law, 41, said.
Law, her husband, and two sons were vendors at the Mid-Autumn Festival Bazaar held in Greendell Park Community Centre in the neighbourhood of St. Vital.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a significant event in the lunar calendar for Hong Kong people and other Chinese cultures to enjoy traditional food, music, and community.
“I looked forward to starting a new life in Winnipeg… In Canada, we can enjoy some kinds of freedom and education, which we cannot find in Hong Kong,” Law said.
A couple of years ago, Law, her husband, and their two sons left their home in Hong Kong to live in Winnipeg.
Law is happy in Winnipeg, but she said she is worried for her children. While her family adapts to Western society, she still wants them to stay true to their diverse culture.
“I want to keep our traditions, but I also want my kids to be integrated into the local community,” Law said.
A newly formed non-profit group called the HKERS@WPG organized a bazaar to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Law is one of the volunteers with this organization.
This event had 23 vendors who were selling trinkets, food, drinks, and more at the festival. Traditional treats, called mooncakes, symbolize family togetherness in Hong Kong culture and were offered to event attendees as they are an essential part of this festival.
“We hope to take this opportunity to promote our culture, and also take this chance to educate our new generation about the culture of Hong Kong,” Law said.
Carol So, 12, said she and her family celebrate the festival every year.
“I’m having fun and I feel united with other people,” Carol said while she folded a bright yellow piece of construction paper into an intricate origami bird.
Carol and her family immigrated to Winnipeg three years ago from Hong Kong. Back home, Carol said she would take a train to school with her father. During the rides, her dad taught her how to make origami hearts from their tickets.
“I was like- Oh my god! Origami is so cool,” Carol said. Now, she watches YouTube videos to practice and perfect her paper-folding skills.
She was beyond excited the bazaar had an origami station and she spent most of her time
Volunteers with the group helped organize an origami station and other traditional activities for children to enjoy at the Mid-Autumn Festival Bazaar.
HKERS@WPG’s mission is to make sure people who are immigrating from Hong Kong to Winnipeg feel at home when they arrive. Karson Leung is a part of the organizing committee that helped plan and set up this event.
“The atmosphere is really good… It seems like a social gathering more than a bazaar,” Leung said while he stood in a crowd of people at the festival.
Typically, a bazaar is just a market for vendors to sell and promote their goods and services to the public. For Hong Kong immigrants in Winnipeg this past Sunday, the Mid-Autumn Festival Bazaar meant so much more for their community and culture.
HKERS@WPG estimates the bazaar saw around 1,000 visitors, and Leung said the group plans to make this an annual event.