Nan Zhou took a photo of Haiyu Fang holding 2-year-old Austin, and Nora (left), 6, all of Chanhassen, at the Lunar New Year celebration at Asia Mall Feb. 3. Photo by Jim Bayer
Children were wide-eyed as they watched colorful dragons parade through the aisles of Asia Mall as hundreds of visitors from all over the Twin Cities gathered to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year on Saturday.
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The delegation of VIPs at the Lunar New Year celebration. Photo by Jim Bayer
Layla Oestreich, 9, of Otsego, got a helping hand from her dad, Tyler, to see the Lunar New Year events at Asia Mall.
A performer at the Lunar New Year celebration. All photos by Jim Bayer
Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case (left) watched performers at the Lunar New Year celebration.
A young performer at the Lunar New Year celebration. Photo by Jim Bayer
Also attending the ceremonies marking the Year of the Dragon were U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, state Sen. Steve Cwodzinksi, and Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case, among others.
Lunar New Year begins on the date of the second new moon after the winter solstice in East Asia, which always occurs in late December, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The first day of the Lunar New Year can occur anytime between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20.
This year, the second new Moon will occur in China on Saturday, Feb. 10.
For those of you interested in the celestial importance of the celebration, the traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms The first solar term begins when the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 330°.
Chinese New Year’s Eve is the day before the Chinese New Year, originating 3,500 years ago, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was on hand to help celebrate the Chinese New Year on Feb. 3 at Asia Mall. Photo by Jim Bayer