ORLANDO, Fla. – As Asian countries celebrate the Lunar New Year on Saturday, an Orlando temple will bless businesses in Orange County with lion dances and kung fu demonstrations.
Orlando’s Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple will visit Asian businesses along East Colonial Drive on Saturday in celebration of the Year of the Dragon. The temple started this celebration in 1980 as a way to educate everyone about Lunar New Year.
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The Lion Dance is a traditional dance performed during the Lunar New Year where performers mimic the movements of a lion. The dance is said to bring good luck and fortune.
The dance is performed with two people and uses movements related to Chinese martial arts.
“Essentially the new year ushers in a fresh start,” said Mimi Chan, teacher at the Wah Lum Temple. “The lion dance symbolizes good luck and prosperity, and also scares off negativity to bring in good luck for the new year.”
The celebration starts on Saturday morning 9:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies featuring the burning of incense, lion and dragon dances and firecrackers.
These businesses will host lion dances on Saturday:
- 11 a.m.: Than Law PA — 1212 Woodward Street
- 11:15 a.m.: Pho Huong Lan restaurant — 1216 E. Colonial Drive
- 11:45 a.m.: An Hong — 1124 E. Colonial Drive
- 12:15 p.m.: Paris Banh Mi — 1021 E. Colonial Drive
- 12:45 p.m.: iFresh Market — 2415 E. Colonial Drive
- 1:30 p.m.: Peter’s Kitchen — 3922 E. Colonial Drive
- 2 p.m.: Pho Drive Thru — 7091 S. Orange Blossom Trail
- 3 p.m.: Crazy Buffet — 12237 S. Orange Blossom Trail
- 5 p.m.: PF Chang’s — 436 N. Orlando Ave.
- 5:30 p.m.: Poke Hana — 1225A E. Colonial Drive
- 6 p.m.: Chi Kin — 813 N. Mills Ave.
- 6:30 p.m.: Lam’s Garden — 2505 E. Colonial Drive
- 7:15 p.m.: Mamak Asian Street Food — 1231 E. Colonial Drive
The dances are part of a monthlong schedule of events celebrating Lunar New Year in Central Florida. There is also a festival at Lake David Park in Groveland, and a family fair at the Guang Ming Temple on Hoffner Avenue in Orlando.
More information is available on the AsiaTrend website.
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