
Seattle's Lunar New Year celebrations are set to unfold this weekend, offering a vibrant tapestry of cultural activities and performances. With the Lunar New Year officially beginning on January 29, local festivities are getting an early start to welcome the Year of the Snake. As reported by FOX 13 Seattle, the Lunar New Year at Pacific Place will take place today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., featuring family-friendly events such as crafting dragon puppets and mask-making activities, alongside riveting martial arts performances, at no cost to the attendees.
Simultaneously, Bellevue is showcasing its cultural spectacle, "Celebrate the Year of the Snake," from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As described by FOX 13 Seattle, the event will feature live performances such as the Chinese Lion and Dragon Parade, with an array of arts and crafts ready to engage audiences of all ages, at Bellevue Square's Center Court.
In Redmond, the 25th annual Microsoft Asian Spring Festival Celebration will be hosted by Overlake Christian Church, marking the occasion with games and prizes, traditional Chinese foods, and live performances, from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m.
This year's festivities carry additional significance following the legislation that formally recognized Lunar New Year as an official though unpaid holiday in Washington state. Numerous community events have been part of local traditions for years, some even decades, before achieving this legislative acknowledgment, an initiative that underlines the cultural importance and increasing visibility of diverse communities within the Pacific Northwest. The Lunar New Year celebrations, which include Tết in Vietnam, Seollal in Korea, and Spring Festival in China, are deeply rooted in the lunar calendar and traditionally span January and February, offering the city a cultural richness that extends far beyond a single weekend of celebrations, as per the Seattle Times.