Celebrating the Lunar New Year in Las Vegas
/The Lunar Year began last Sunday and stretches through until February 5th, 2023 when the Lantern Festival is celebrated. In the Chinese calendar, it is the year 4721 and this is the Year of the Rabbit, or to be more exact the Gold Rabbit. Along with the rotating 12 Chinese Zodiac signs, there are five ‘elements’ which also rotate and are associated with the animal: wood, fire, earth, metal (gold) and water. The Year of the Rabbit embodies an energy focusing on relaxation, quietness and contemplation.
In the spirit of relaxation, we decided to take the day off from our list of projects and celebrate the New Year at Las Vegas’ Chinatown Plaza. It was cold and clear and there was a brisk breeze as we headed to Spring Mountain Road and the Chinatown area of Las Vegas.
Folks were just setting up their booths and kiosks for the celebration as we ducked into Paris Baguette for a coffee and morning treat. Chinatown seems an odd place for a French boulangerie, for sure, but oooh la la, what a wonderful place.
I love wandering through Chinese supermarkets and 99 Ranch in Chinatown is one of my favorites. We strolled up and down each aisle, curious about some items, familiar with others. They have a wonderful fish department. Live crabs and Maine lobsters wriggled around in salt water tanks. Live sea bass and tilapia swam in circles, unaware of their intended fate. Fishmongers cleaned and scaled fish as the store’s patrons, numbers in hand, waited their turn to select from a huge variety of fresh fish... some still swimming.
We wandered back to the parking lot which was now teeming with vendors, food trucks and spectators. A stage had been erected for the upcoming performances. We shared a chicken rice bowl and waited for the festivities to begin. It didn’t take long before local Kung Fu school students took the stage. Ranging from 4-5 year-olds to teenagers, these kids were absolutely awesome.
Contortionists and acrobats also took the stage.
The Lion Dance was next. From the China Highlights website, “In Chinese culture, the lion dance is one of the most important traditions at Chinese New Year. The lion symbolizes power, wisdom, and superiority. People traditionally perform lion dances at Chinese festivals to bring good fortune and prosperity for the coming year and chase away evil spirits.”
“Chinese lion dances are performed by two "dancers" sharing a lion costume. The performers become the body of the lion: the one in front is the head and front limbs, the one behind is the back and hind legs.”
Small, red, cardboard envelopes were given out to the crowd with the expectation that we’d put money in each envelope (which we did) and “feed” the lions.
Then the dragon appeared! The traditional dragon dance began as a ceremony for worshiping ancestors and praying for rain. It later became more of an entertainment, often performed during Chinese New Year and other special occasions. Dragons symbolize wisdom, power, dignity, fertility, and auspiciousness, and have become a symbol of Chinese culture.
The dragon dance is performed by a skilled dance team that mimics the supposed movements of the dragon in a sinuous, undulating manner. The dragon itself is a long serpent-shaped body on poles held by the dancers, assembled by joining a series of hoops on each section and attaching the ornamental head and tail pieces at the ends. It is the highlight of the Lunar New Year.
Some dragons were smaller than others!
There are still several festivals going on in Las Vegas. The Bellagio Hotel traditionally creates a beautiful Chinese-themed garden in their conservatory at this time of year and I’m looking forward to visiting… just not on a weekend day when it’s bound to be crowded. There’s also a Spring Festival this weekend at Desert Breeze Park on the west side of town which promises to be fun. The sharing of cultures is one of the reasons we love to travel. This time, we don’t have to wander far from home to participate.