Lunar New Year festivities begin in Montreal’s Chinatown
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Posted January 29, 2025 2:13 pm.
Last Updated January 29, 2025 5:26 pm.
Montreal’s Chinatown is ringing in the Lunar New Year with a festival until Feb. 2.
The cultural celebrations are highlighted through various activities significant to the rich and varied Asian traditions.
“The celebration is a great way to start the new year together and embrace the winter in Quebec,” said Winston Chan, the organizing committee member for the Montreal Lunar New Year Festival.
“So we really wish everybody good luck in the following days. It’s a celebration for around 15 days following the Lunar New Year day one, and we’re gathering family and wishing a happy beginning of the Lunar New Year.”
The celebrations also include performances by Asian Montreal artists, numerous artistic installations, Kung Fu demonstrations, folk dances, and much more.
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It’s all marking 2025 as the Year of the Snake.
“The snake is the most… it’s a very intelligent animal that’s always looking for a place to be so high, and it’s not because they are afraid, because they are the ones that have the intelligence to see what’s going on, observing before they do something,” explained Jimmy Chan, president of Montreal Chan Associations.
He says it’s the year for motivation.
“It’s important for that to receive, to welcome the snake, to come, to open up a new journey, a new chapter of this year,” Jimmy Chan said.
“I would encourage everybody to give the snake to be more encouraging, more connecting with many other people.”
Festival organizer Yifeng Eva Hu says one of the stories of the Chinese zodiac signs depicts a race between animals – with one being the snake beating the horse using its wit and intelligence.
“This year is the year of innovation and intelligence and wiseness. So yeah, get your mind ready,” Eva Hu said.
Despite the snow and extreme cold winter weather Wednesday, the event featured an outdoor lion dance — something Eva Hu says is significant to Chinese culture.
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“So the lion is important in the culture at every big celebration like opening a store, a special occasion during the year,” she explained. “The lion is to bless the occasion and having the lettuce, eating the lettuce, it’s in Chinese means fat choy, means get rich. Asian people love telling us that we will get rich. So that is the best blessing we can have.”
A parade is planned for Saturday on Saint-Laurent Boulevard; more than 100 artists are expected to perform.
“Chinatown has been here for since the beginning,” said Winston Chan. “We want to begin this celebration by giving a soul to Chinatown and we will also bring people from Montrealers from all walks of life to come and visit Chinatown and celebrate the Lunar New Year with the Asian community.”
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“The Lunar New Year is all about celebration, right?” said Eva Hu. “So what better than to do a parade about it, to showcase not just on a tiny stage, but all around the street, to bless the whole street of Chinatown of all the warmth of the New Year’s celebration.”
“We have a beautiful charm in this small little Chinatown,” added Jimmy Chan. “It’s like a little home for everybody.”