From dream to dazzle: Chinese New Year festival organizer's effort pays off

For Blur Wu, seeing the first major Chinese New Year fireworks show in Canada marked the realization of a decade-long effort.

That work came to fruition on Jan 25 as vibrant bursts of color illuminated the night sky during the Toronto Spring Festival at Nathan Phillips Square.

"This is the first time in Canadian history that a Chinese New Year fireworks show will light up a major government landmark," said Wu, the festival's founder. "The whole city will see it, and that's a powerful cultural statement."

The journey to this glory, however, was anything but easy.

"For 10 years, I kept asking the city if we could celebrate Chinese New Year with fireworks. Every time, the answer was no," Wu said."Maybe the time just wasn't right back then, or maybe they had never even considered it as a possibility."

The turning point came when Toronto's city government decided to relocate its traditional New Year's Eve fireworks away from Nathan Phillips Square, opening the door for multicultural celebrations to take place in the landmark location.

"One day, the city suddenly asked me: 'Do you still want to do fireworks for Chinese New Year? We're opening all the permits for you.' That was the moment I knew I had to make it happen," Wu said.

The Toronto Spring Festival is not just about fireworks; it also includes Chinese cultural performances, electronic dance music with traditional elements, ice skating, interactive lion dancing and dressing up in hanfu — traditional Chinese clothing of the Han ethnic group.

The festival features an ice-skating performance inspired by Chinese culture, blending traditional elements with a uniquely Canadian winter setting.

"We adapted our performances to the season — our ice show gives a whole new meaning to celebrating Chinese New Year," Wu said.

"People from all backgrounds love taking photos with the lion dancers and the God of Fortune. This proves that Chinese culture resonates far beyond the Chinese community."

Chinese New Year is profound for Chinese, Wu said, "but I want to do an event that everyone can celebrate together, no matter their background".

Resonating with public

His inspiration came from Toronto's Caribbean Carnival, a large festival attended by more than 1 million people annually.

"I was surprised, because I thought, if the whole city could embrace Caribbean culture in that way, why couldn't we do the same with Chinese New Year?"

Wu said he believes that Chinese culture should not be confined to community gatherings but should be shared in a way that resonates with the broader public.

"For years, our celebrations were largely limited to Chinese communities. When you step outside, the city feels the same — it lacks the festive atmosphere that we associate with this time of year," he said.

"I wanted Chinese New Year in Toronto to be something you can see, feel and experience in the heart of the city."

Pulling off a large-scale outdoor winter festival in Canada's frigid climate was not easy.

"You have no idea how cold it is to set up an event like this; workers could only stay outside for short periods," Wu recounted. "Every step — setting up the stage, installing lights, testing equipment -took twice as long as in warmer seasons."

The financial burden was another obstacle. Wu originally envisioned incorporating ice sculptures and large-scale lantern displays, but budget constraints forced organizers to scale back.

"We simply ran out of time and funding, but this is just the first year," he said. "We're learning, and we'll build upon this in the future."

Looking ahead, Wu envisions a future where fireworks displays become a nationwide Chinese New Year tradition in Canada.

"Why not? We've seen how quickly other cultural festivals have grown in this city," he said."We're just getting started. I hope that in a few years, cities across Canada will join us in celebrating with fireworks."

Wu said he envisions expanding the festival into a multiday Chinese New Year fair with parades, lantern displays and large-scale performances.

"We're not stopping here. This is just the beginning of something bigger," he said.

"Fireworks represent renewal and happiness. My dream is one day to see Chinese New Year fireworks light up cities around the world and be able to celebrate together.

"That would definitely be a wish come true," he said.