Year of the rabbit: Montreal kicks off Lunar New Year with a bang
Posted January 21, 2023 6:58 pm.
Last Updated January 23, 2023 11:08 am.
Montrealers filled the streets of Chinatown Saturday afternoon to celebrate the Lunar New Year – commonly known as the spring festival.
There were traditional and cultural activities to mark the year of the rabbit.
“It signifies a new start, it signifies a lot of good stuff as well for the new year. Prosperity, happiness. Everything in family and love and love,” said Yifang Hu, the event organizer.
Attendees placed ribbons on a wishing tree, received red envelopes, and discovered if 2023 will be the year of luck and fortune for them using Chinese fortune sticks.
“The year of the rabbit means diplomacy, calm and also hope. And we hope that the coming rabbit year will be a year where Asian communities can create bridges with the rest of the Montrealers,” said Winston Chan, a member of the community and organizer.
Dragon and lion dancing as well as drumming added to the festive atmosphere, accompanied by a fashion show featuring traditional attire.
“When I was a little kid, like only six years old, as soon as I hear lion dance and drum sighting, I will run to that direction because I’m really a big fan of all this lion dancing,” said Kimfay Hua of the Fo Guang Shan Montreal Lion Dance and Drum Team.
“The story behind it is that the lion, it actually repulse the evil and bring luck to the community.”
This was the first edition of the “Spring Festival at Chinatown” in Montreal and has been a year in the making. Organized by Yifang Hu and Winston Chan from Marché de Nuit Asiatique.
“We did a lot of work to gather everyone into one large event this year,” said Yifang Hu. “And so it’s super important because we can now celebrate with all our friends and families from different cultures, but all the same community.”
