Chinese New Year parade returning to Victoria after 2-year hiatus
A popular Chinese New Year event is returning to Victoria after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Jan. 29, the annual Lion Dance parade and accompanying Kung Fu demonstrations will return to Victoria's Chinatown.
The event kicks off at noon and runs until 3:30 p.m. The Lion Dance parade is presented by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and is performed by the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club, which was established in Victoria in 1974.
Hundreds of people gathered in Victoria's Chinatown on Sunday to celebrate the second day of the Lunar Year with a traditional lion dance. Jan. 29, 2017 (CTV Vancouver Island)The club has been performing the city's annual Lion Dance parades for decades.
In 2021 and 2022, the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club released videos of Lion Dances since provincial COVID-19 restrictions at the time prevented large gatherings.
This year, the parade is set to take place rain or shine, according to the event description on the Downtown Victoria website.
"The lions will make their way throughout Chinatown, visiting merchants who hang offerings of lucky money (red envelopes) and lettuce for the hungry lions," reads the event description.
"The lions will bless the merchants, scare away evil spirits from the past year, and bring good luck for the new year," the description continues.
Hundreds of people gathered in Victoria's Chinatown on Sunday to celebrate the second day of the Lunar Year with a traditional lion dance. Jan. 29, 2017 (CTV Vancouver Island)Jan. 22 will mark the start of the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac. Since the zodiac runs on a 12-year cycle, the last Year of the Rabbit was in 2011.
Last year was the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac.
A photo gallery of the 2017 Chinese New Year parade can be found here.
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