Lunar New Year celebration at Pier 21 brightens 'dreary' month
Chen Zhang watches with a smile and her phone ready for pictures as her daughters Kalisie, 4, and Annabelle, 2, make dragon stamps.
It was Zhang's first time attending the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21's Lunar New Year celebration but she says it likely won't be the family's last.
"When I was small, Chinese New Year was always very important to us," said Zhang. "I do want them to understand the Chinese culture. Half of their blood is Chinese so I think it's quite important for them to still have this culture."
Year of the Rooster
Saturday's celebration at Pier 21 fell one week before actual beginning of the Year of the Rooster, which starts Jan. 28.
"Lunar New Year is a great way to celebrate in January, when it can otherwise be quite dreary," said Alexandra Cherry, public programs co-ordinator at the museum.
Plenty of families gathered for the event, which featured a taekwondo demonstration, K-Pop dancing, musical performances and workshops for origami and stamp making. It was the museum's second year hosting the celebration.
Last year, the museum only celebrated Chinese New Year. This year, it was expanded to Lunar New Year so more cultural celebrations could be included.
"Typically people are aware about Chinese New Year, that is specific to the Chinese culture, and Lunar New Year is something that's celebrated across Japanese cultures, Korean, Chinese as well as Vietnamese cultures," said Cherry.
"There is a large part of the population that does recognize it and celebrates it."
'We feel very welcomed'
Zhang said watching her daughters take part at Pier 21 brought back memories of her own childhood celebrating Chinese New Year.
"We did paper cutting too. When I was a little bit older than my older daughter, maybe six or seven years old, I started to help my family make dumplings," she said.
"It's very nice, it's friendly. And for us, we feel very welcomed."
