Tuesday, Feb. 17 will mark the Lunar New Year, Year of the Fire Horse, and the businesses, organizations, and residents of the AsiaTown neighborhood are celebrating this Saturday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15 at Asia Plaza.
The fire horse is a particularly good reason to come celebrate, says Johnny Wu, cofounder of the annual Cleveland Asian Festival and the new Silk Road Cultural Collective.

Kwan Lion Dance at Li Wah “The Year of the Fire Horse is a rare, 60-year cycle event in Chinese astrology—blending the horse's spirited independence with the intense, transformative power of fire,” Wu explains. “It signifies a period of rapid, dynamic change, high energy, bold action, and potential for both great success and instability.”

Wu likens the Chinese celebration to American Thanksgiving. “People gather, pay respect to their ancestry, and wish everyone prosperous New Year,” he says, “and kids (unmarried) get red envelopes (money) from [their] parents/elders.”

But the Chinese Lunar New Year traditions may also sound like Christmas to many people. Wu recalls his own family traditions when he was growing up:

“Every Lunar New Year, my dad would put a fresh big apple next to our pillow the night before, he would then wake us up on the day of, and we would wake up and smell the apple's scent,” Wu recalls. “He would then make sure we wore new clothes (from underwear to shoes). Then we would bow to our ancestors, and bow to him and mom—wishing them long life and prosperity.”

Wu adds that, as an adult, he still observes the new year with new clothing. He also burns candles and bows to his father's remains and his ancestors to wish them happy new year.

“And that is [what helps] bring a safe year and good luck and fortune to us,” Wu quips.

Weekend of art, culture, and celebration
The entire weekend is jam-packed with performances and demonstrations to suit almost every taste and interest. Enjoy cultural performances, martial arts, lion dances, food trucks, vendors, resource tables, crafts, activities, photo stations, and more.

Emcee Wayne Wong, executive vice-president of OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, Greater Cleveland (OCA) will kick off the Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday at 10 a.m., followed by a slate of performances on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Kwan Family Lion Dance Team will perform a traditional Kwan Lion Dance both days at 11 a.m.—starting at Li Wah Restaurant, moving throughout Asia Plaza, and ending at Park-To-Shop Supermarket, 1580 E. 30^th Street.

The Lion Dance performances bring good luck, prosperity, and protection to businesses by chasing away evil spirits with loud drums and cymbals, performing the cai qing (plucking the greens) ritual, and boosting morale.

The lion, symbolizing strength and courage, blesses stores by “eating” lettuce (representing wealth) and scattering it to spread fortune, while owners offer red packets for luck.

New this year is Wu’s Silk Road Cultural Collective’s Asian Armor Showcase. “We will be part of many Lunar New Year celebrations, including Asia Plaza and other places,” says Wu, encouraging people to watch a video of the Collective’s Jan. 31 performance at the City of Solon Lunar New Year celebration.

Lunar New Year Celebration, Asian Town CenterOther newcomers include Soaring Grace Dance Group and Yoke Thay (Myanmar Marionette puppetry) by Hsa Win. Performers such as LingYun Rising Star Gymnastics Dance School and Stellar Acrobatic Dance Academy will be showcasing new dances and fresh costumes this year.

And be sure to check out Kung Fu demonstrations by Great Wall Kung Fu Center and performances by the AsiaTown Square Dance Team.

There will be plenty of restaurants, food trucks, and food vendors throughout the weekend as well, including Ball Ball Waffle, Blasian Fusion Food Truck, Pho Sunshine, Rooster Kitchen, and Kinfolk Bakery.

A full list of performances, vendors, and food options can be found on OCA, Greater Cleveland, as well as Asia Plaza’s Facebook page.

The Lunar New Year events are free and open to all, and free parking is available in various lots surrounding Asia Plaza.

Wu describes the upcoming Lunar New Year event as a “huge celebration,” and he urges everyone to come to AsiaTown to celebrate diversity and bring the community together.