Ringing in the Year of the Dragon: A Vibrant Lunar New Year Celebration

By Community Educator, Juan Juan Moses

Every year between the end of January and the middle of February, a quarter of the world’s population (about 2 billion people) from East and Southeast Asia, and their families all over the world, celebrate Lunar New Year. It’s an especially important holiday in places like China, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Lunar New Year falls on the date of the second new moon after the winter solstice. The holiday is rooted in the changing of seasons as it relates to the cultivation of land, but we still celebrate the same general ideas today; the joy of sharing resources, strengthening relationships, storytelling, taking time for rest, and the presence of community.

Did you know? Lunar New Year is also called “Spring Festival” to indicate the upcoming season for people who work the land.

This Lunar New Year will be especially meaningful because it will ring in the Year of Dragon, one of the two most favorable signs in the Chinese Zodiac. This is also arguably the most important within the 12year Lunar New Year cycle (the other being the Year of Tiger) because it is believed to be a time of great transformation.

In 2024, we honored Lunar New Year with a series of five cultural and educational events at Shadle Park Library. These events range from a children’s storytime focusing on a variety of Asian tales, to a K-Pop fashion show and dance, to a cooking demonstration. Our goal is to amplify our community’s knowledge, education, and celebration surrounding Lunar New Year in an accessible and free way.

In the spirit of joy and gratitude, many community partners will join us for this special day and have generously donated many gifts, like free tutoring at Kumon Math and Reading Center, gift certificates to local Asian grocery stores and restaurants, and a delicious variety of Asian spices. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and there’s just one more thing left to say: Gong Xi Fa Cai (gong-héifaat-choi) meaning “May you be blessed with good fortune”!