ORLANDO, Fla. – Lion dancing, drum performances and live demonstrations are coming to the Orlando area with this year’s Lunar New Year Festival.
The Lunar New Year Festival is happening on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at XL Soccer World in Lake Nona.
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The festival will feature traditional lion dancing, tai chi classes, Asian food vendors, and dancing. It will also have a kids craft station to make Chinese lanterns, Vietnamese hats, Korean fans and drums, and Japanese origami.
“Bring a picnic blanket to sit on to watch entertainment and join us for a Lunar New Year like no other – with exciting entertainment and mouth-watering cuisine from Asian businesses and restaurants all across Central Florida, highlighting exclusive menus only found at Celebrate Lunar 2023,” the event’s website reads.
Some of the food vendors attending include WAFU Taiyaki, Dochi Mochi Donuts, Soupa Saiyan and Mr. J’s Hand-pulled Ramen.
According to History.com, Lunar New Year is celebrated among east and southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities.
This year, the Lunar New Year begins on Jan. 22 and marks the year of the rabbit.
“Tied to the lunar calendar, the holiday began as a time for feasting and to honor household and heavenly deities, as well as ancestors. The New Year typically begins with the first new moon that occurs between the end of January and spans the first 15 days of the first month of the lunar calendar—until the full moon arrives,” History.com says.
For Lunar New Year, there are various foods and traditions to “symbolize prosperity, abundance and togetherness.”
Last year’s festival sold out, so be sure to get your tickets before the event. Click here to purchase tickets, and don’t miss out on the early-bird pricing through Jan. 15.
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