Fountain Valley rings in Year of the Snake with Lunar New Year Festival
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It was an occasion for all ages, as a crowd of a few hundred in number took part in the third annual Lunar New Year Festival at the Fountain Valley Recreation Center on Saturday.
A strong showing from the start, the attendees stuck around for well over an hour in anticipation of the traditional lion dance.
The performance was largely carried out by children, with more kids congregating around the three lions moving down the aisle to the sounds of percussion instruments — cymbals, drums and a gong among them.
Several onlookers eagerly passed on red envelopes to the lions, hoping to gain good fortune in the new year.
“The first year, we had about 120 attendees,” Mayor Ted Bui said. “The second year, we had about 250, and this year, we’re hoping to come closer to about 300, so that’s a great start. I’m hoping that as we move forward, it’s going to be bigger, better and greater for everyone.”
Fountain Valley City Council members in attendance wore traditional attire in recognition of the Lunar New Year. The festival helped usher in the Year of the Snake.
“We really appreciate you coming out today and celebrating,” Mayor Pro Tem Jim Cunneen said. “This is not only a wonderful gathering for our community, but it’s a moment to learn about the cultures and to have a better understanding, and it’s all about bringing kindness and love to our community.”
Cunneen put a bow on his comments by wishing the crowd a happy new year in Vietnamese, drawing some applause from the crowd.
The festivities continued inside the Recreation Center, with cultural arts projects and games. Kids had the opportunity to color coiled snakes on paper and cut them out.
Students also provided a musical performance on traditional instruments, followed by a group picture with dozens of the remaining revelers.
A booth also took a tally of the Chinese zodiac sign of each of its visitors.
The Tet Parade will be held in the neighboring city of Westminster on Saturday, Feb. 1, with the opening ceremony scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and the parade to get underway at 9:30 a.m. The parade will begin at the intersection of Bolsa Avenue and Magnolia Street and head eastbound on Bolsa Avenue, before making a right turn onto Bushard Street.
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