With the Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival in full swing, a special crosstalk gala co-hosted by the Shaanxi Association of Canada set the town of Oakville ablaze

Shaanxi Association of Canada             

March 4, 2026, 6:18 PM   

“Bamboo branches stand tall with twin ears; the wind sweeps lightly through the four hooves.” Amid these verses steeped in traditional charm, the Lantern Festival of the Chinese Lunar Year of the Horse has arrived as scheduled.

In the picturesque and elegant lakeside town of Oakville, a vibrant Chinese cultural festival centered around crosstalk took center stage, bringing the local community a festive celebration that blended laughter with traditional art. On the day of the event, the theater was packed to capacity, with applause and laughter filling the air as a rich festive atmosphere permeated the venue.

Oakville Mayor Rob Burton attended the event in person and delivered an inspiring speech. He noted that Oakville is currently ranked as one of the most livable cities in Ontario, boasting a clean environment, friendly communities, and a vibrant economy. He highly commended the Chinese community for its contributions to the city’s multicultural development and wished everyone a happy Lantern Festival. The mayor’s presence not only demonstrated the city government’s support for the Chinese community’s cultural activities but also highlighted Oakville’s spirit of diversity and inclusivity.

Wang Zhi, General Manager of Nature Wealth Management Group and overall director of the event, as well as Zhou Zhijun, President of the Shaanxi Association of Canada and representative of the co-organizers, delivered speeches expressing their commitment to preserving traditional culture and their hopes for community unity.

The event kicked off with a powerful performance of Anse waist drumming. The performers from the Shaanxi Association delivered a rhythmic and dynamic drumming display that instantly energized the crowd. Following that, a lineup of comedians from the Toronto Xiangsheng Comedy Club took the stage one after another—Li Quanhuan, a disciple of renowned xiangsheng artist Shi Shengjie, along with Gao Peng and Wang Ping, all delivered outstanding performances. Younger performers and fellow xiangsheng artists who had traveled all the way from Montreal also put on impressive shows, delivering laugh after laugh.

With their endless stream of jokes and witty banter, and a blend of traditional and modern elements, they had the audience in stitches. The appearance of the young performers infused the stage with youthful energy, showcasing the vibrant vitality of the art of crosstalk as it is passed down and innovated overseas. In addition to the crosstalk performances, the event featured a rich variety of artistic forms.

The choral performance led by Toronto-based vocalist He Chunwei was warm and moving; guzheng virtuoso Nan Feihong provided live accompaniment, her melodious playing elegantly conveying the essence of Eastern culture; and event producer Jason Zhang’s recitation of “The Preface to the Orchid Pavilion” was steady and powerful, with every word a gem, showcasing his profound skill and earning waves of applause. The fusion of traditional art with modern stage performance infused the entire show with both humor and sentiment, blending lively energy with refined elegance. This performance was jointly organized by the Ontario Chinese Automobile Association, Toronto Xiangsheng Comedy Club, and Nature Financial Group, in collaboration with multiple community organizations,

including:

the Canadian Shaanxi Association,

the Canadian Wuxi Association,

the Canadian Changzhou Association,

Lianyun Dance School,

Yuan Yin Qin Society,

Canadian Wei Xiao Vocal Group,

Maple Color Art Troupe,

Oakville Chinese Alliance,

and the Oakville Tianwang Seeds Club.

The coming together of diverse forces demonstrates the Chinese community’s strong organizational capacity and cohesion. The organizers extend special thanks to the many businesses and individuals who provided generous support, including:

Nature Financial Services (President Wang Zhi),

Oakville Jia Mei Auto Repair (President Brandon),

Downtown Toyota, Avenue Collision (Body Repair),

Overseas Travel (President Sun Tian),

Zhouyou Real Estate (Chairman Zhou Zhijun),

“Mars Project” Sunglasses (President Shawn Xu),

Element (General Manager Helen Zong),

Toronto Jingwan Club, Gegexin Group (President Qu Liangguo),

and Wang Haidan, an outstanding real estate agent in Oakville.

It is precisely the support of these businesses and organizations that made this Lantern Festival cultural extravaganza a resounding success.

Amid laughter and applause, this Year of the Horse Lantern Festival crosstalk gala came to a successful close. It was not merely an artistic performance, but a demonstration of cultural identity and community cohesion. Crosstalk, drum music, recitations, and choral performances complemented one another, showcasing the overseas Chinese community’s cherishment and preservation of traditional culture.

On this day as spring’s warmth grows, Oakville feels even warmer thanks to the laughter of the Chinese community.