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Lunar New Year, Sunday January 22nd at Philadelphia's Chinatown

The Lunar New Year was celebrated in Philadelphia’s Chinatown on January 22nd, 2023. The Philadelphia Suns, who performed the traditional Lion Dances, visited the merchant stores in Chinatown, giving luck and prosperity for the upcoming year while store owners would provide the Lions with gifts of money in red envelopes in return. Meanwhile, a vast array of fireworks accompany the lion dances to ward off evil spirits. The tradition has grown very popular in Philadelphia to the point that there are substantial crowd gatherings to witness the event. According to Harry Leong, the president of the Philadelphia Suns, the event starting from Lunar Year’s eve the night before has noticed the biggest crowd he has ever seen in all the years he has participated in the Lunar Year traditions.

Lunar New Year's Eve in Philadelphia's Chinatown 2023

On January 21st, on the eve of the Lunar New Year, Philadelphia’s Chinatown bids its farewell to the end of the old year and welcomes the new year, which is the year of the rabbit. Based on the Chinese calendar, the Lunar New Year relies on the sun's position and the moon's phases. The New Year begins at the sighting of the new moon. In Philadelphia’s Chinatown, lion dances, run by the Philadelphia Suns, are lion costumes operated by groups of two who visit local stores. Store owners invite the lions to their premises and give them red envelopes containing money in hopes of happiness, good luck, and prosperity for the new year. A big show of firecrackers usually accompanies the lion dances to scare off evil spirits and bring good luck.