Vancouver celebrates Chinese New Year annually with a big festival parade through Chinatown. The British Columbia city welcomes the Chinese New Year with traditional lion dances, Chinese martial arts, Chinese opera, fortune telling, multicultural performances, music contests and fashion shows.
Formerly known as the Sunbrite Chinese New Year Festival, this event takes place at the Pacific Coliseum building at the PNE in Vancouver.
Vancouver's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden also hosts Chinese New Year Celebrations. The garden's plum trees are in bloom, signifying the return of spring. Activities include fortune telling, martial arts, calligraphy, storytelling, lucky red packets and a special exhibition of traditional arts by the Chinese Canadian Artists Federation.
The Lunar New Year dates back almost 5,000 years when Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. The first day of the Chinese New Year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February.
