Lunar New Year celebrations start Saturday [Video]

Lunar New Year celebrations took over Riverfront Avenue in front of the Chinese Cultural Centre Saturday.

The event featured a Dragon and Lion Dance, and Premier Danielle Smith addressed the crowd.

“Lunar New Year has been celebrated in Alberta for decades reflecting the long and proud history of the Chinese Canadian community in our province and it’s a wonderful opportunity to share with each other this rich tradition,” Smith said.

2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon representing growth and innovation.

The wood element signifies stability, honesty, loyalty, creativity and growth, while the dragon symbolizes power, good fortune, harvest and prosperity.

“May the Year of the Dragon bring you good health, good luck and so much prosperity,” said Calgary mayor Joyti Gondek. “The wise people who offer us spiritual guidance during the Lunar New Year have called this a year of honour and luck in Chinese tradition.

“I’m very optimistic that that will be the case.”

Saturday night, …