Asian communities throughout the world are preparing for Lunar New Year, an important celebration in East and Southeast Asian cultures, which begins on Sunday.
The holiday is known by different names in different countries —in South Korea it’s called Seollal; in Vietnam it is called Tết; and in China it is known as the Spring Festival. For those following the Chinese zodiac, 2023 is marked as the Year of the Rabbit. The Vietnamese zodiac calendar recognizes 2023 as Year of the Cat.
Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland prepares to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at the annual Chinese New Year celebration, Jan. 19, 2023. Commonly known as Lunar New Year, billions of people worldwide celebrate in a variety of ways.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Red lanterns symbolize good fortune and are traditional decor.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Red lanterns symbolize good fortune and are traditional decor.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Large floating lanterns are illuminated as they float on Lake Zither.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
The festival at the garden features cultural activities and performances, scavenger hunts, and evening lantern viewing in the gardens.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Teresa Garofalo hangs a Lunar New Year themed art exhibit, including a painting by Wayne Jiang, right.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
A floating dragon lantern, left, and phoenix, against a backdrop of buildings.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland prepares to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at the annual Chinese New Year celebration, Jan. 19, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Calvin Hamann replaces a light in a paper lantern.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
A large phoenix floating lanter, floating on Lake Zither.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
The holiday is known by different names in different countries —in South Korea it is called Seollal, in Vietnam it is called Tet, and in China it is known as the Spring Festival.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
The lanterns are on display, rain or shine.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
A flower, floating on Lake Zither.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Red lanterns symbolize good fortune and are traditional decor.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Tickets for lantern viewing evenings are very popular, so make plans early.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland prepares to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at the annual Chinese New Year celebration, Jan. 19, 2023. The festival at the garden features cultural activities and performances, scavenger hunts, and evening lantern viewing in the gardens.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Most celebrations have common threads — honoring of ancestors and family, enjoying culturally specific rituals and foods, and always, ushering in a new animal to represent the new year.
The duration of the holiday varies by cultural tradition, most people celebrate for 7-16 days. In the Northwest, many events begin this weekend. One beloved event in the Portland area is the lantern viewings at Lan Su Chinese Garden, breathtaking during the day and spectacular at night.
Other highlights for this weekend include:
- Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden kicks off its two-week celebration on Saturday with a free lion dance performance. Other events and displays continue through Feb. 5.
- The annual Chinese New Year Cultural Fair at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland will have a range of performances, food and cultural activities.
- McMinnville’s free event features a range of food and cultural traditions.
- Portland’s Vietnamese Lunar New Year Festival has free day and evening activities on Saturday.
- North Clackamas Parks & Recreation will host a celebration on Sunday in Milwaukie.
A few events beyond this weekend:
- Lunar New Year gala, Jan. 28 in Vancouver.
- Portland’s Chinatown Museum’s Annual Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration, Jan. 28.
- 2023 Lunar New Year Gala on Feb. 4 at Keller Auditorium in Portland, with magic shows, singers, and other cultural performances