The Lunar New Year begins Sunday and local groups have created celebrations this weekend for folks to partake in what is perhaps the biggest holiday around the world.
For many cultures, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit and to welcome it in, the Greater Cleveland Chapter of OCA, an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) advocacy organization formerly known as the Organization of Chinese Americans, has compiled a calendar of Lunar New Year events in the region.
“I think it’s very important to have a celebration that people can attend. If people are from parts of Asia where they’re used to big celebrations, they miss that,” said OCA Greater Cleveland President Lisa Wong.
Wong said it’s important to celebrate the holiday, despite Cleveland having a smaller AAPI population than other large American cities.
“There’s a lot of histories and traditions that we like to pass on from the older generations to the younger generation and it’s important to keep that culture, keep that connection,” Wong said.
Wong also said this weekend’s events are a good opportunity for people to learn about AAPI cultures and traditions.
Wong said there is an influx of events compared to the last couple of years because the COVID-19 pandemic minimized large gatherings. For the same reason, she expects the AsiaTown celebrations this year to have higher attendance than the last couple of years.
Asia Plaza in Cleveland’s AsiaTown neighborhood has a schedule of events Saturday morning that includes performances, food vendors, family activities and health education services.
Kwan Lion Dance is a traditional performance group and a local favorite, especially this time of year. The dance group has several performances coming up in the area including Avon Lake, Medina, Independence and at the Asia Town Center in AsiaTown Sunday, which will include a small fireworks display.
Downtown Akron is hosting a Lunar New Year celebration the evening of January 28 that will include the Kwan Lion Dance group and will be capped off with a fireworks show.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be hosting a Lunar New Year game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 2 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
