The 2022 Lunar New Year Festival personally returns to Houston

The event will take place on Saturday, February 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chinese Community Center in Houston, where their spacious campus will have enough space for everyone to spread out. .
Festival organizer Mei Li gave ABC13 a preview of what’s new at the festival for 2022, as the center works to introduce Chinese culture, bring hope and education to the community.
Festivals include traditional dragon and lion dances, Shaolin Kung Fu performances, and interactive games. Along with Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai art vendors and food carts, the Chinese School will also have students to teach others how to write calligraphy.
Click here to learn more about the 2022 Chinese New Year Festival in Houston
After the event went virtual last year due to an increase in COVID-19 infections, Li said she was delighted at the opportunity to see neighbors and friends again.
“I hope to use this celebration to give people the confidence to conquer the current pandemic and recover,” Li said. “This is one of the reasons we really wanted to have this event live, using this powerful image (of the tiger) to give people a little bit of confidence.”
This year’s festival is also an opportunity to help highlight the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in our community. Li said HEB will give flu and COVID-19 vaccines to anyone who wants to get their vaccines at this year’s event.
“We anticipate there will be a large crowd, so we want to use this opportunity to educate people about vaccines,” Li said.
Clock: Miya Shay shares more about Lunar New Year customs
The Lunar New Year festival has a tradition that Li compares to Thanksgiving, which is often celebrated with the whole family gathering around a table filled with traditional Chinese food.
According to custom, many people stay up until after midnight to set off fireworks.
“You eat, rest a bit and then come back to eat again,” Li said.
The next morning, it is customary for children in the family to approach the elderly and wish them luck and good fortune. In return, the children received a red envelope with money inside, Li said.
As in previous years, the red packets will return during the festival.
Houston Chinese Community Center is located at 9800 Town Park Dr., in Houston.
Chinese New Year: Swipe through this gallery of photos from China Community Center’s 2020 celebrations
https://abc13.com/chinese-community-center-houston-lunar-new-year-festival-celebrate-in-traditions/11518368/ The 2022 Lunar New Year Festival personally returns to Houston