CHINESE CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR
Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most revered traditional Chinese holiday. It falls this year on January 26, and family members in China will travel by air, sea, and land to spend the holiday together. China has added trains to ease the traffic crunch, which is so far up 16.3% from this time last year, says the Ministry of Railways (MOR).
New Year festivals circle the globe in areas with large ethic Chinese populations. In San Francisco revelers on February 7 will see a Chinese New Year Parade that dates to the 1860s. One of the largest celebrations of Asian culture outside Asia, this year’s gala features the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A. as well as floats and exploding firecrackers. Start time: 5:15 pm. Start place: Market St. See chineseparade.com for parade route and tickets for bleacher seating.
New York’s 10th Annual Lunar New Year Parade takes place February 1 at 1 pm at Mott and Hester Sts. (betterchinatown.com). Related Chinatown events include a firecracker ceremony and folk arts festival. On January 24-25, Radio City Music Hall presents “Chinese New Year Splendor,” a program of classical Chinese dance and music (radiocity.com/events/chinese-new-year-2009.html).
London’s Trafalgar Square will be transformed February 1 by New Year’s Day parade and performances starting at noon. Londoners will see traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, and visiting Chinese performers from China’s Qinghai and Kunming provinces (chinatownchinese.co.uk).
New Year festivals circle the globe in areas with large ethic Chinese populations. In San Francisco revelers on February 7 will see a Chinese New Year Parade that dates to the 1860s. One of the largest celebrations of Asian culture outside Asia, this year’s gala features the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A. as well as floats and exploding firecrackers. Start time: 5:15 pm. Start place: Market St. See chineseparade.com for parade route and tickets for bleacher seating.
New York’s 10th Annual Lunar New Year Parade takes place February 1 at 1 pm at Mott and Hester Sts. (betterchinatown.com). Related Chinatown events include a firecracker ceremony and folk arts festival. On January 24-25, Radio City Music Hall presents “Chinese New Year Splendor,” a program of classical Chinese dance and music (radiocity.com/events/chinese-new-year-2009.html).
London’s Trafalgar Square will be transformed February 1 by New Year’s Day parade and performances starting at noon. Londoners will see traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, and visiting Chinese performers from China’s Qinghai and Kunming provinces (chinatownchinese.co.uk).