EDMONDS—The Multicultural Association of Edmonds will be hosting its third annual Lunar New Year evening event Saturday, February 10, at Edmonds Center for the Arts.
Asian communities around Puget Sound are welcoming the 2024 Lunar New Year with family reunions, festivals, and lots of food as they say farewell to the Year of the Rabbit and usher in the Year of the Dragon that begins February 10, 2024.
Beginning at 12:00 p.m. the full-day event kicks off with a traditional Mak Fai Lion Dance by the Northwest Wushu Academy, a break dance performance by the Massive Monkees, and featuring speakers including Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell, Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen, and Edmonds School District Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Minor.
On January 23, the City of Lynnwood signed a proclamation for Korean American Day and the upcoming Lunar New Year. The Korean American Day proclamation was accepted by members of the Seattle Korean American Association and local Lynnwood community members. The Lunar New Year proclamation was accepted by the Multicultural Association of Edmonds, Lynnwood’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission and Doug Raiford, Equity and Social Justice Advisor for the City of Lynnwood.
At 1:30 p.m. there will be a viewing of the movie She Marches in China Town, a short film that highlights the Seattle Chinese Girl’s Drill Team with a Q and A session afterwards with Director Della Chen and a member of the drill team the film features. Local educators who attend the screening will also be awarded an hour of continued education credit.
The day event will also feature a market (featuring goods by local Asian-owned businesses), in partnership with the City of Edmonds, arts and crafts (including Chinese calligraphy), and several vendors and booths set up within the Center of the Arts. A beer and wine tent will also be available for the 21 and up crowd.
After the day celebration the evening event kicks off from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. featuring live music by Seattle area-based Chime Band, a second break dance performance by the world-renown b-boy crew Massive Monkees, and indie pop star sensation Chinese American Bear. The event will be hosted by King 5 New Anchor Mimi Jung.
While the day event is free to the public, the ticketed evening event will start at $27. 50 for General Admission seating and $102.50 for V.I.P., which include early entry into the theater at 5:30 p.m., a swag bag, and light bites (by Bar Dogo) before the show. Money fundraised through ticket sales will go towards supporting future Multicultural Association of Edmonds community events.
Lunar New Year Edmonds seeks to recognize and celebrate the distinctive diversity of Asian Americans in Edmonds, and to share this celebration with all of our fellow community members.
“Because Edmonds is a small community and, honestly largely White community, a group of us community leaders banded together to bring this shared celebration to the community to help bridge some misunderstandings and offer a shared celebration of joy,” Karin Mei Butler, with the Multicultural Association of Edmonds, told the Lynnwood Times.
WhenButler, who’s mother is from Taiwan, grew up in the small town of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Lunar New Year was typically only celebrated within her own family because there wasn’t a larger community to share it with. But seeing how well received the event has been since launching it back in 2021, and seeing parents bring their children of Asian descent to understand their roots “brings tears to [her] eyes,” she shared.
“There’s something really special about having it in Edmonds and having it amongst our own community where people know each other, because again it’s a small town,” said Butler. “I’m hoping that it will just be a celebration of joy, and community, and a great way to bring in the Lunar New Year.”
Born from the success of Edmonds’ first ever Lunar New Year celebration in January 2022, the Multicultural Association of Edmonds seeks to empower the diverse cultural communities of our city to share their traditions and celebrations. MAE believes that it is through the sharing of culinary traditions, dance, music, visual arts, and other forms of celebration, that we can build a strong and connected community for all.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
