Kung Hei Fat Choi – Happy New Year!
This week marks the start of the lunar new year in 2025. While last year's festival didn't kick off until February 10, this year celebration for the Year of the Snake begins on Wednesday.
The next 15 days will see celebrations all over the Lower Mainland. Here is a sampling:
Chinatown Spring Festival and Parade
It will be hard to top last year's 50th anniversary parade with nearly 200,000 spectators, but event organizers plan to try. Dragon and Lion dancers will take to Vancouver streets at 11 a.m. on Sunday, February 2. The parade begins on East Pender at the Millennium Gate and makes its way along Gore Street and then back along Keefer to Carrall Street. Route map and further details are HERE.
The spring festival continues that afternoon at the Chinese Cultural Centre and Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden courtyard (50 East Pender St.), which will feature Lunar New Year celebration booths and multicultural performances. Admission to both the parade and the Spring Festival is free.
Taste of Chinatown
This month-long event wraps up this weekend at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre at 168 East Pender St. in Vancouver. Included are family activities like lucky red envelope customizing and mural making, and the event also features culinary pop-ups and special tastings from retailers including Foo Hung Curios, Beaucoup Bakery, Boba Run, Haywire Winery, Hype Chocolate and Saan Saan Cafe. Until February 2, admission is $5 and free for those 17 and under.
Lunar New Year at Chinese Canadian Museum
The Chinese Canadian Museum at 51 East Pender St. welcomes drop-ins this weekend with new year treats, Chinese board games and Year of the Snake-themed crafts. There will be Cantonese story time Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with ice cream and balloon art featured after the parade on Sunday. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission including all special events is $10-$15 or $35 for a family.
Year of the Snake at Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden
Togetherness Box and Lucky Knot demonstrations are in the cards at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Garden this weekend, at 578 Carrall Street. Enjoy the red lanterns, along with special musical performances, traditional tea ceremonies, arts and crafts and more. Details and dates HERE.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
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With Trump the US president again, it seems only appropriate that this is the year of the snake.