Society: Fete Chinois and Black History dinner at Holts | Canada Voices

Fête Chinoise Signature Event, Jan. 25, Toronto

Fête Chinoise, a cultural platform dedicated to celebrating Chinese culture here in Canada, held the 10th edition of its Signature Event, the splashy Lunar New Year-timed gathering that spotlights all things Chinese. The Park Hyatt Toronto was the locale, with a black-tie dinner held in the hotel’s ballroom that kick-started the evening. Performances popped up in between courses, including dancer and choreographer William Yong, who’s work titled UtopiVerse premiered at the National Ballet of Canada last year, and later, singer Linda Chung, a well-known name in Hong Kong entertainment circles, who performed a mix of her Chinese hits with a sprinkling of Western standards. Nearby, set up in gallery stalls around the hotel were spaces dedicated to Chinese art and craft. Flown from Hong Kong just for the event was a decades-old neon sign by Master Wu, a neon tube bender who was there to demonstrate and speak to the craft alongside Cardin Chan, general manager of the non-profit organization Tetra Neon Exchange who is dedicated to neon’s preservation. In another space nearby, floral button artist Royce Chau worked with nimble hands demonstrating the storied art form that she’s helping preserve. The evening’s theme, “We sit in the shade of trees planted before us,” was a nod to those who have paved the way for Chinese Canadians to honour and celebrate their heritage here in Canada, said the event’s founder Deborah Lau-Yu in her remarks during dinner. After dinner, the hotel swelled with more Lunar New Year celebrants, turned out in their finest to take in the exhibitions, food stalls and another batch of performances.

Holt Renfrew plays host to Sample Chief Social, Feb. 5, Toronto

To kick off Black History Month, Holt Renfrew’s Bloor Street store held an event on the evening of Feb. 5, hosted by Sample Chief, a global collective that celebrates African music and culture. For all of February, a physical listening room installed on the store’s newly refurbished third floor will play a curated playlist of music by African artists and Canadian artists of African descent (you can find the playlist online at holtrenfrew.com).

The evening saw African music trivia, a performance by Deelo Avery and DJ sets by Big Jacks as well as Ore Sami, the founder and creative director of Sample Chief.

Passed party food was conceived and cooked by Rachel Adjei, founder of the Abibiman Project, a food concept that introduces people to flavours and ingredients from Africa and the Black diaspora.