RICHARDSON – The community is invited to the annual Chinese New Year Festival taking place Saturday, Feb. 5, honoring the Year of the Tiger.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Richardson CORE District at DFW Chinatown located at 400 N. Greenville Ave. It will include a variety of culinary offerings, vendors, cultural performances and activities for all ages.
The Chinese New Year Festival is presented by the City of Richardson, in partnership with its CORE District members, the Dallas Chinese Community Center and DFW Chinatown.
“DFW Chinatown has long been the epicenter of Asian food culture in our region, so joining with our community partners to co-host the Chinese New Year Festival here is the ideal way to celebrate Richardson’s reputation as one of the state’s most culturally diverse cities,” said Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker. “This festival is a longstanding tradition that brings families and friends together for a joyous occasion in Richardson. We look forward each year to gathering as a community and welcoming visitors from across North Texas.”
Throughout the day, festivalgoers can sample cuisine and beverages from more than 20 area establishments representing Richardson’s Chinatown, Interurban, Downtown, Heights and Lockwood neighborhoods, including foods and specialty teas from regions throughout Asia, as well as culinary offerings, baked goods and treats from a variety of other local favorites. Chef Andrew Chen of Monkey King Noodle Company will offer a demonstration on noodle pulling, also known as La Mian and a key element of the Chinese New Year. Participating CORE District restaurants located outside of Chinatown will also display red lanterns as part of the celebration, with many offering specials throughout the day.
The family-friendly festival will include a variety of historical and symbolic Chinese New Year activities and demonstrations such as decorative paper cutting featuring characters and imagery; calligraphy, one of the oldest Chinese art forms; the traditional passing of red envelopes, representing good luck and prosperity; lantern painting, one of the most well-recognized trademarks of Chinese culture; and numerous displays for photo opportunities located throughout the festival. As a special treat, children will have the opportunity to design and create paper tiger lanterns to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, the Chinese lunar symbol for 2022 and the king of all beasts in China representing speed, strength and power.
Festival attendees will also be treated to various Chinese New Year traditions, including colorful roaming lion and dragon dances performed by Wag Tao Kung Fu. The lion dance is recognized for providing luck and happiness, as are Chinese dragons, whose performance movements demonstrate their power and dignity. Several other dance performances will be displayed through the festival, including the popular folk umbrella dance, originating from China’s Han dynasty; fan dances, a celebration of Chinese beauty, grace and delicacy; and Tibetan dances, lively masked and costumed dances associated with some sects of Tibetan Buddhism and Buddhist festivals.
Musical performances from the University of North Texas Chinese String Orchestra and Zhang’s Sisters will highlight the day, as will musicians playing Guzheng instruments, or zithers, which trace their origins to China before the sixth century B.C. A Cheongsam fashion show will exhibit the traditional dresses of the Chinese Manchu region, modernized by Shanghai socialites in the early 20th century. The various forms of kung fu, a Chinese martial arts specialty, will also be featured during demonstrations at the festival.
Parking will be available onsite at DFW Chinatown, and an event bus will also provide transportation from the DART Arapaho Center Station from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. For parking and event maps, and to learn more about Richardson’s Chinese New Year Festival, visit https://www.richardsoncoredistrict.com/chinesenewyear.
