January 16th, 2009
For immediate release
What happens when Chinese New Year's Eve falls on Robbie Burns Day?
It last happened in 1933 – the rare occurrence of Robbie Burns Birthday and Chinese New Year’s Eve.
The rare convergence of Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year Day won’t happen again until 2020.
January
25th, 2009 marks the 250th birthday of the famous Scottish bard, on the
Eve of Chinese New Year welcoming the Year of the Ox.
Did somebody say party?
say…
Gung Haggis Fat Choy!
January 25th, 2009
5pm Reception
6pm Dinner
9:30pm after party with countdown to midnight
Floata Seafood Restaurant
#400 – 180 Keefer St.
Vancouver Chinatown.
Dress: kilts, chinese cheong sam, mix & match and have
fun!
Ticket: $60 + service Charge, prices for students and children
Call Firehall Arts Centre 604-689-0926
www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com
Gung
Haggis Fat Choy is the growing contemporary tradition of mixing
Scottish and Chinese cultural, musical and literary traditions to
create something uniquely Canadian.
The Vancouver Chinatown
Lions Club has been serving Chinese sauces with haggis since 1950
beginning at the legendary Bamboo Terrace restaurant. In 1993, Todd
Wong aka “Toddish McWong” first wore a kilt to participate in the Burns
ceremony at Simon Fraser University. In 1998, he held a small private
dinner with Chinese food and haggis – and thus was born – Gung Haggis
Fat Choy!
In 2004 the upstart Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner started
serving deep-fried haggis won ton, and created haggis lettuce wrap in
2005. The Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner has also inspired a CBC
television special in 2004 and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival at
Simon Fraser University.
In 2008, Gung Haggis creator Todd Wong
was recognized for his strong community work by BC Premier Gordon
Campbell with the BC Community Achievement Award. The Royal BC Museum
included Wong in “The Party” display celebrating 150 of BC's most
interesting people throughout BC's 150 year history.
For 2009,
Vancouver Chinatown Lions Club and Gung Haggis Fat Choy join forces to
celebrate the 250th Birthday of Robert Burns and Chinese New Year.
This
will be the only dinner in British Columbia that is recognized by
Homecoming Scotland’s The Famous Grouse 37 year old scotch, created
especially for Homecoming Scotland. Only 250 bottles were made to mark
each year since the birth of Burns.,
Proceeds
of dinner go to Historic Joy Kogawa House Society, Asian Canadian
Writers' Workshop/Ricepaper Magazine and Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon
boat team.
What happens at a Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner?
Lots of intercultural food, fun, poems and music.
Check out the line-up:
Celebrity Media co-hosts are confirmed!
Gloria Macarenko, CBC TV News anchor “Vancouver at Six”
Catherine Barr, Metro News / Radio 650
Special musical performers:
Silk Road Music Ensemble
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Pipe & Drums
Heather Pawsey opera soprano
Timothy Wisdom DJ
Rita Wong, 2008 BC Book Poetry Prize winner “Forage”
Joe McDonald, our “rapping bagpiper”
Adrienne Wong – Neworld Theatre actor for “Mixie and the Half-Breeds”
Special guests include:
Dr. Leith Davis, SFU Centre for
Scottish Studies
Jan Walls, former SFU Director of International Communications
Tommy
Tao, poet translator
+ 1 bottle of 37 year old Famous Grouse scotch – one of only 250 made to be featured at Burns Suppers around the world.
For media inquires contact:
Todd Wong
778-846-7090
For sponsorship inquires contact
Trevor Battye
778-773-9397