There were many ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Los Angeles in 2019. The distance from home did not mean being far from the traditions, flavors, and festive energy of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Theme parks to local neighborhood celebrations provided a diverse mix of entertainment and traditions for the Year of the Pig.
From January 25 to February 17, Disneyland Resort hosted Lunar New Year celebrations in Anaheim. The park constructed decorative lanterns and other seasonal decorations, while Disney characters dressed in cultural clothing. Guests met Mulan and the Three Little Pigs in parade, and tasted offerings from the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisines. For families and Disney fans, it was a special way to celebrate the holiday.
From February 2 to February 17, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk hosted Lunar New Year celebrations. Universal Plaza was decorated with lanterns, and guests could take holiday photographs with the Minions and Kung Fu Panda. The Mandarin-speaking, bilingual Transformers characters added a playful connection to Chinese New Year.
Celebrations took place in Chinese communities throughout the US on the weekend of the 9th and 10th of Feb. The first celebration took place on the 9th in Los Angeles’ downtown Chinatown. The LA Chinatown Parade and Festival celebrated its 120th year this February. There were numerous activities such as kung-fu demonstrations, food trucks, and children’s activities like face painting, and storytelling. The festival’s central and most popular attraction was the Golden Dragon Parade, which began at 1 PM. This festival is one of the oldest Lunar New Year Celebrations in Los Angeles and gives a community feel to an event that is often surrounded by commercialism.
Another festival along the same date, the 9th of February, was the Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival. It took place on Valley Boulevard, between Almansor and Vega, and offered a more relaxed celebration for those who didn’t want to deal with the crowd in downtown Los Angeles. The Alhambra celebration featured over 250 food and craft vendors as well as lion and kung fu demonstrations. The Alhambra festival showed that there are many greater festivals outside of downtown Los Angeles.
Another event available in LA’s Chinatown was the Firecracker Run which took place on the 16th and 17th of February. Participants could choose between a 5K, 10K, or a 20-30 mile route to cycle on. This run turned a traditional celebration into an active one and cost between $25 and $110.
Shopping was also part of the celebrations. South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa celebrated Lunar New Year from January 31 to February 18 with gift giveaways, free family activities and entertainment, special product offerings, in-store events, prize draw contests, exhibitions, window displays, and public performances on the weekends. This event was still more focused on shopping, but it offered many ways for customers to engage in the holiday spirit.
The greatest strength of the Lunar New Year events in Los Angeles was their variety. One day could be spent watching a dragon parade in Chinatown, another could be spent enjoying festival food in Alhambra, and another day could be spent at a major theme park for a special Lunar New Year themed event. The city of Los Angeles demonstrated in 2019 that the Lunar New Year celebration was not limited to a single neighborhood or a single type of event. There was space to honor traditions, to provide entertainment and food, and for families to come together.
