MUKILTEO—As the Year of the Snake comes to an end, well over 650 people throughout the evening attended the City of Mukilteo’s first-ever Lunar New Year celebration on Thursday, February 12, to usher in the Year of the Fire Horse—an amplified and intense “double-Yang” fire cycle that occurs every 60 years.
Spanning from February 17, 2026, to February 5, 2027, Year of the Fire Horse is an era of heightened energy, ambition, and transformative action; in contrast to the Year of the Snake, that was a period of strategic reflection, subtle adaptability, and a focus on inner evolution and personal insight.
Hosted by the City’s DEI Commission, the event was its biggest, according to Chair Ilona Van Duser.
“My heart is full. My expectations were met and beyond. Thank you, Mukilteo for coming out,” Van Duser told the Lynnwood Times.
The Pointe Elliott Room of Rosehill Community Center became the focal point where several hundred people enjoyed a Tai Chi demonstration by I-Ching Acupuncture Center, Chinese Traditional Dance by North Seattle Chinese Dance, Korean Dance by Morning Star Korean Cultural Center, and a Taekwondo demonstration by Taekwondo Way.
Cultural displays created by students from every school located within Mukilteo-proper lined the perimeter of the event space along with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisine provided by Joy Teriyaki, Momo Bento, Pho Café, and Golden House.
“The community support and the turnout, I was quite amazed,” DEI Commissioner Simon Bai told the Lynnwood Times.
Both Van Duser and Bai shared that the commission’s upcoming retreat to develop their strategic plan for 2026, they will discuss making the Lunar New Year event a stable in Mukilteo tradition.
“It’s great to see that when you do something like this that people will come out and support it,” Mayor Joe Marine told the Lynnwood Times. “For me, the favorite were the drummers. I thought those were great. This is by far the DEI Commission’s most successful event.”
Mayor Marine shared that DEI in Mukilteo means bringing people together and celebrating culture; something the residents by their support want.
“A big shout out to Council President Jason Moon, he and Simon Bai have been able to reach the Korean and Asian community like we haven’t before,” added Marine.
The City of Mukilteo, led by the efforts of Moon and former Council Vice President Tom Jordal, have been actively pursuing a sister city relationship with Gwacheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The partnership is intended to promote culture through events and ceremonies, attract Korean tourists positioning Mukilteo as a base for visits to nearby Seattle, and foster economic opportunities such as business exchanges.
At the October 20, 2025, regular meeting, the council signed a letter of intent to establish the sister city relationship. Following the letter of intent, the next phases involve drafting a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that requires approval from both the Mukilteo City Council and Gwacheon’s city council, after which a ceremonial signing will officially seal the agreement.
Feature organizations with booths at Thursday’s Lunar New Year event were the Korean Service Center, City of Mukilteo, Mukilteo Police Department, Asian Service Center, Korean Association of Seattle, Mukilteo Library, Taiwan Tourism, FineEvent Photo Booth, Snohomish County Human Services, Taekwondo Way, and Washington State Labor & Industries.
Volunteers for the event were the Mukilteo Youth Advisory Committee, Mariner High School Key Club, and Kiwanis Club of Mukilteo. Key doners were Mukilteo Beacon, Lynnwood Times, and UniBank.
Additional Photos from Year of the Fire Horse Event
Author: Mario Lotmore
