By Canadian Press

Event organizers of Vancouver Chinatown Festival say security is their top priority

Jul 12, 2025 | 3:41 PM

VANCOUVER — Organizers of the Vancouver Chinatown Festival say security is their top priority in the wake of the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy that killed 11 and injured dozens more in April.

Joey Kwan, executive director of the Vancouver Chinatown BIA, says enhanced safety measures have been in place as the 23rd festival is underway, drawing hundreds of people to enjoy the musical performances, marching band and children’s theatre.

She says festival goers can expect to see heavy police presence throughout Vancouver’s Chinatown and officers will station six security checkpoints. Blue fences have also been set up at the scene to block vehicles from entering.

Kwan says something unexpected may always arise, but event organizers and volunteers are ready to “deal with the unexpected.”

The tragedies of the Lapu Lapu festival are still haunting people, and Vancouver resident Darcy Shoults says seeing tons of police presence at the event scene makes him feel “quite safe.”

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Shoults says two years ago he attended the Light Up Chinatown Festival, where a triple stabbing look place and left him devastated.

Blair Donnelly was on a day pass from a psychiatric hospital when he stabbed three people in Vancouver’s Chinatown in September 2023.

Shoults says these attacks do happen, but we can’t let them keep getting in the way of stopping us from coming together to show support and celebrate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 12, 2025.

The Canadian Press