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The Lunar Calendar places New Year’s Day at the end of January or at the start of February. This year, Lunar New Year, aka Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, will fall on January 22, 2023, the day of the second new moon, after the winter solstice. Celebrations will continue for 15 days.
2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit, the fourth sign in the Chinese zodiac. The Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, prosperity and peace in Chinese culture. It is believed that the animal ruling your birth year influences your personality and ultimately your future. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are believed to be ingenious, witty, attentive to detail and courteous.
Vancouver has a large and diverse Asian population that will be hosting many events to usher in the Lunar New Year. It is celebrated not only by people of Chinese heritage but also people whose parents or grandparents came from Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Philippines and Indonesia.
The 48th Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration
Vancouver Chinatown has a massive and much beloved Spring Festival Celebration. The first part of the celebration is the parade. Attendance at the parade is estimated to be over 100,000 people this year. Dragon and Lion dancers, martial arts groups, floats, musicians, drummers, marching bands and other performers will march through the streets of Chinatown. This will be on January 22, 2023, beginning at 11 am and the parade should last 2 ½ hours.
After the parade, there will be more Lion Dancing in Chinatown. From 2 pm to 4 pm, there will be the Vancouver Spring Festival & Cultural Fair at Sun Yat-Sen Plaza. Admission is by donation. Lion Dancers and drummers go through the streets of Chinatown. They bless the businesses and accept offerings of lettuce.
The celebration in Chinatown end with a dinner at Floata Seafood Restaurant at 6 pm.
Rabbit Lunar New Year 2023 x Vinahouse Party
Studio Lounge & Nightclub is having Rabbit Lunar New Year 2023 x Vinahouse Party on January 22, 2023, from 8 pm to 3 am. The 19+ event will feature live Vietnamese singing performances, Vietnamese karaoke, a social media livestream challenge, a guest DJ and hip hop DJ 2E.
UBC Botanical Garden Lunar New Year Market
UBC Botanical Garden will have a Lunar New Year Market on January 14 and 15, 2023. The site will be the Reception Centre and it will include
- Lion Dancers
- Dance performances by Yun Tang Dance Club
- Kung Fu performances by UBC Kung Fu Club
- Flowers and plants for sale
- Dance performances by UBC Hanfu Culture Society
- Local artisan vendors
Soar Over Taiwan
From the glittering towers of Taipei to the Ruan’an Bagua Tea, you’ll see the best of Taiwan aboard this amazing flight ride. Enjoy the ocean breezes, smell the scents of lush national parks and hear the sounds of bustling cities. FlyOver Canada will have Soar Over Taiwan from January 10 to February 12, 2023.
Vancouver Public Library Traditional Tea Ceremony
The Central Library of the Vancouver Public Library is having a Traditional Tea Ceremony. This will be led by Joyce Ji from Wang Family Teapots. The ceremony will include music by the British Columbia Chinese Music Association. Sherman Tai, a fortune teller and feng shui master, will give predictions for the Year of the Rabbit. This is happening on January 18, 2023, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm.
Lunar New Year Puppet Show
The Kensington Library Branch is holding a Lunar New Year Puppet Show with arts and crafts on January 17, 2023, from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
The Lantern City – Forever Young
The Society of We Are Canadians Too has created The Lantern City – Forever Young. Ocean Arts Work will have giant lanterns designed by indigenous, Rukai, Taiwanese, Filipino and Canadian artists. The artwork celebrates children. This Lunar New Year event will run from January 20, 2023, to February 20, 2023.
Aberdeen Centre Lunar New Year Flower & Gift Fair
Aberdeen is once again hosting their Lunar New Year Flower & Gift Fair on January 13 through 22, 2023. The Fair will feature local vendors on both levels of the Centre.
Metropolis at Metrotown Year of the Rabbit Celebration
Metrotown celebrates the Year of the Rabbit with beautiful decorations and lanterns. Lion Dancers will perform on January 25, 2023, at 10 am. There will be cultural dance performances on the weekends. Art workshops will be held for calligraphy and papercutting. Every shopper who spends $188 or more in one day can spin the big wheel to win $20 gift cards and an extra spin for a surprise gift box. Everyone who visits the mall can enter a raffle for three $888 gift cards.
Canucks Lunar Year of the Rabbit
Celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit with the Vancouver Canucks. Click here to find out more about this celebration.
Lunar New Year Shirts
You might want to wear a 2023 Lunar New Year shirt to these celebrations. The color red is believed to bring you good fortune. You can find some great 2023 Lunar New Year of the Rabbit shirts here.
Vancouver Hotels & Asian Restaurants
If you’d like to visit Vancouver during the Lunar New Year celebrations, you should consider the following hotels. They are offering discounted rates which can save you money on your stay.
- Century Plaza Hotel 30% Discount
- Coast Coal Harbour Vancouver Hotel by APA 30% Discount
- Executive Plaza HOtel Metro Vancouver 27% Discount
- Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport 25% Discount
- Fairmont Hotel Vancouver 20% Discount
- Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel 20% Discount
- Lonsdale Quay Hotel 20% Discount
- Sandman Hotel Vancouver Downtown 20% Discount
- Sandman Suites Vancouver on Davie 20% Discount
- Exchange Hotel Vancouver 18% Discount
- Pan Pacific Vancouver 15% Discount
- Fairmont Waterfront 15% Discount
- Versante Hotel 15% Discount
- The Listel Hotel Vancouver 15% Discount
- Fairmont Pacific Inn 15% Discount
- The Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport 15% Discount
- Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront 14% Discount
- River Rock Casino Resort 12% Discount
- Rosewood Hotel Georgia 10% Discount
- Executive Hotel Le Soleil 10% Discount
- GEC Granville Suites Downtown 10% Discount
- Wedgewood Hotel & Spa 10% Discount
- Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier 10% Discount
- Hotel Belmont Vancouver MGallery 10% Discount
If you’d like a culinary celebration of the Lunar New Year, you should try the following restaurants. They were chosen as the Top 15 Asian restaurants in Vancouver by the users of TripAdvisor.
- Kingyo
- Ramen Danbo – Robson
- Miku
- Miko Sushi
- Momo Sushi
- Bao – Bei Chinese Brasserie
- Minami Restaurant
- Shizenya on Hornby
- SURA Korean Cuisine
- Phnom Penh Restaurant
- Dinesty on Robson
- Legendary Noodle House
- Banana Leaf Malaysia Cuisine
- Chongqing
- Kishimoto Japanese Kitchen
