The celebrations for the Lunar New Year are low-key again this year during the second year of the pandemic. One highlight is the amazing Chinese lanterns on display at the Kennedy Center, through February 6th.
There’s even a mailbox where you can send a note to Bao Bao and Bei Bei (who lived at the zoo for four years before going back to the breeding program in China).
Missing the traditional celebrations
We so very much miss the traditional day-long celebration in Chinatown, with the parade and the lion dance. The last time this festival occurred was on January 26, 2020. The pandemic had already started but had not yet come in force to the U.S. The organizers of the festival had a booth handing out free masks, but almost no one took them because we were all still hoping that this country might be spared a large outbreak.
Here are some photos from the last time we saw the festival:
The Parade
©Miki Jourdan
The spectators
The Lion Dance
At the end of the festival, there’s a lion dance, filled with noise and smoke and firecrackers and joy.
Happy Year of the Tiger!
What a great collection of photos! A welcome splash of color and celebration. Thanks!
Thank you, Jeff!