Best Ways To Celebrate Lunar New Year In DFW
According to centuries of Chinese literature, those born in the year of the horse will have the attributes of freedom, passion, competitiveness, nobility and leadership. For everybody else, this means a year of speed and having busy schedules. Before your calendar gets filled up, you should check out a few places to celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Wooden Horse.
Dem Cho Hoa
Asia Times Square
2615 W. Pioneer Parkway
Grand Prairie, TX 75051
(972) 988-8811
www.hkmkt.com
Dates: Jan. 24-26 and Feb. 1 2014
This year's theme for Asia Times Square's seventh annual Lunar New Year festival celebrating the Vietnamese and Chinese New Year is "Dem Cho Hoa" (Night Flower Market). Dem Cho Hoa pays tribute to the bustling nighttime flower markets in Vietnam. A comprehensive entertainment program that includes performances by popular Vietnamese stars, traditional folk dances, exhibits and food vendors is part of the weekend's events. There will be a lighting of 1,000 firecrackers so bring your earplugs. You definitely don't want to miss the Shaolin performance on February 1 either. It is a must see. This is a free family-friendly event.
Lunar New Year Festival
Hong Kong Market
9780 Walnut Street
Dallas, TX 75243
(972) 437-9888
www.hkmkt.com
Dates: Jan. 24-26 and Feb. 2, 2014
The Dallas Hong Kong Market, along with its sister store Asia Times Square, will host "Dem Cho Hoa." This free family-friendly event will include dragon and lion dances, martial art performances, folk dances and food. All of the festivities on February 2 will be concluded before the Super Bowl starts.
Related: Best Permanent Exhibits In DFW
Chinese New Year Festival
Crow Collection of Asian Art
2010 Flora Street
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 979-6430
www.crowcollection.com
Date: Feb. 1, 2014
The celebration just keeps getting bigger and better. In 2012, 8,500 people came to the Crow Collection of Asian Art's Chinese New Year Festival. In 2013, 10,000 attended, and this year event organizers are expecting around 12,000 people to come to the event. Main stage performances by the Texas Chinese Orchestra, Orizon Dance group and Jai Ping Shin Dancers are planned for the day. The party continues on the street with face painting, a zodiac exhibit from the Chinese Lantern Festival and a calligraphy demonstration. Activities include a yoga class, a Writers Garret writing workshop, red envelope decorating, lantern making, horse puppet making and fireworks. It is free to the public. Food trucks, beer and wine vendors will be onsite.
Organization Of Chinese Americans
Maxim's Restaurant
310 Terrace Drive
Richardson, TX 75081
(972) 231-6371
www.ocadfw.org
Date: Feb. 15, 2014
At this formal banquet, guests can enjoy a 10-course dinner featuring authentic, traditional Chinese dishes as well as live entertainment and a raffle. Tickets are $50 per person and there are sponsorship levels available.
Seventh Annual DFW Dragon Boat, Lantern and Kite Festival
Lake Carolyn
Las Colinas Urban Center
Irving, TX 75039
www.dfwdragonboatfestival.com
Date: May 18, 2014
Started in 2007, the Annual DFW Dragon Boat, Lantern and Kite Festival has grown into a major event. Organizers are expecting 20,000 people to attend this year's festival. Spectators will cheer on 36 competing boats from Louisiana, Austin, Houston, Oklahoma and Dallas as they participate in the dragon boat races. Twenty-two people man a dragon boat – a drummer, a person to steer the boat and 10 people on each side row the boat. The free, family-friendly event also includes a lantern display and lantern riddles where you guess a riddle. If you answer the riddle correctly, you win a free lantern. Also, there are kite-making classes and kite flying. Food demonstrations from how to make dumplings to handcrafts including origami and paper cutting will also be taking place. Various dance artists will also be performing and there will be food vendors offering international cuisine.
