From 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on August 30, 2025, Nathan Phillips Square was filled with lively crowds and the powerful sounds of drums and music as the Sixth Toronto Dragon Festival was in full swing. The area in front of the main stage was packed with people. Hundreds of seats were already filled, while many spectators remained standing around the stage and watching with great anticipation. Onstage, the “2025 Hot MaMa Competition Awards Ceremony,” jointly presented by NCCC and the World Qipao Cultural Exchange Association, was underway. The grand scale, solemn ceremony, and outstanding performances captivated the entire audience.
Following the successful collaboration between the two organizations on a fashion show for middle-aged and senior participants in 2024, they joined hands once again to showcase the charm of Chinese culture on a broader stage. As a central totem of the Chinese nation, the dragon has been present throughout 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. Today, it has become an important symbol of Chinese culture, bringing together the shared identity and emotions of Chinese people in China and around the world. The Toronto Dragon Festival has also developed into the third-largest outdoor festival in the local area and has become an important platform for promoting Chinese culture overseas.
Through this major event, NCCC not only showcased the spirit of the organization, but also remained committed to sharing the essence of Chinese culture with the world and promoting communication and integration between the Chinese community and other ethnic communities. Every participant devoted themselves to the event with a strong sense of purpose and great enthusiasm. More than a month before the event, NCCC established a special Dragon Festival organizing committee and encouraged its branches to submit distinctive programs for the preliminary selection. Susan, President of the World Qipao Cultural Exchange Association, Secretary-General Winnie, and several professionals formed the judging panel to review the programs and provide suggestions for improvement. Each branch took the selection process seriously and actively made adjustments within the required period to improve the quality of its program. In the end, nine outstanding programs from nine branches were selected and proudly presented on the main stage of the Dragon Festival.
This event was not only a cultural celebration, but also an opportunity to strengthen emotional connections and pass on Chinese culture. With the dragon as a cultural medium and the festival as a bridge, the World Qipao Cultural Exchange Association and NCCC opened a new chapter in the promotion and exchange of Chinese culture in Toronto’s multicultural community. We look forward to the two organizations continuing to work together in the future, allowing Chinese culture to shine even more brightly on the world stage.
