Celebrating a New Beginning

Release Date: Thursday, February 4th 2010

It’s the year of the Tiger and Downtown is celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year with the Chinese New Year Parade, which happens on Sunday, February 21, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, on H Street, between 6th and 8th in Chinatown.
 
The parade is part of an annual festival celebrating the Lunar New Year (February 14), the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The festivities will feature the traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, Kung Fu demonstrations, live musical entertainment and—don’t forget—the giant firecracker, which goes off at 3:45 pm.
 
This year, from noon to 5:00 pm, the celebration also will expand to include programs and activities at the Chinatown Community Cultural Center (616 H Street). Children’s crafts, traditional Chinese calligraphy, face painting, poetry readings, film screenings, raffle prizes, free giveaways and much more are part of the festivities.
 
The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (510 I Street), an umbrella organization representing more than two-dozen Chinese-American organizations throughout the greater Washington metropolitan area, hosts the parade. The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce (800 7th Street) and the Chinatown Revitalization Council (800 7th Street) are sponsors. 
 
For more information, visit www.chinatownchamber.us.