The Chinese New Year starts on the first evening of a new year's month with a new moon and lasts for 15 days. It is also celebrated in China as the beginnings of Spring.
A traditional Lion Dance kicks off the festivities in Hilo
This year the Chinese New Year started on February 7th and will last for 15 days until ending with the Lantern Festival.
On that last day of the festival whole cities and towns in China are decorated with lanterns to celebrate the last day of the full moon.
Overview of a section of Kalakaua Park during the 6th Annual Chinese New Year Festival in Hilo.
According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, we are now celebrating the year 4706 or Year of the Rat.
A little boy all set to enter the Chinese costume contest.
Saturday 15th of February, the 6th Annual Chinese New Year Festival was held in Hilo at Kalakaua Park. This was the biggest event yet. More booths, more people, more contests and attractions.
We ran into our friend Sue and her daughter Cindy there. Sue did her part to dress festively!
Part of the celebration included performances by dancers from the Phoenix Dance Chambers of Oahu led by Diane Letoto. The ensemble also performed at the Palace Theater in Hilo the previous evening.
Young performers from the Phoenix Dance Chambers charmed the crowd
Chinese Flickering Fan Dance
Mongolian Horsemen Dance
Hunan Province Hunters Dance
The Firecracker Dance was one of the highlights!
That is me, standing in the middle, under the huge banyan tree anchoring one corner of Kalakaua Park
Alice Moon, without whose hard work, initiative and imagination there would not be so many wonderful events and festivals celebrated in Hilo throughout the year! I caught Alice in a moment of contemplation sitting by the statue of King David Kalakaua, our 'Merrie Monarch' and last King of Hawaii.
The next Hilo festival will be the "45th Merry Monarch Hula Competitions" held every year in honor of King David Kalakaua and held the week after Easter every year. On Saturday, April 5th, go to Kalakaua Park after the downtown Merrie Monarch Parade, where we will again celebrate our "Merrie Monarch" in the park named for him.
For more about the 6th Annual Chinese New Year's Festival in Hilo, please visit my pages at my foodiesleuth pages at Gather.com
I have no idea where the participants get their costumes...but we have stores right here on this island that also sell them. No spamming please...it's not going to help you.
Posted by: Sonia | February 17, 2009 at 07:19 AM
Beautiful and interesting! Do you guys get the traditional Chinese costumes and lion costumes from www.china-cart.com? I saw them there too.
Posted by: jacky | February 17, 2009 at 03:44 AM
Great question!
The Hawaiian islands are a true melting pot. We have many ethnic groups represented here from al over the world. The Asian influence is very prominent due to the many Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos that migrated to the islands over a 100 yers ago to work the sugar cane and stayed. Later came the Portuguese, the Puerto Ricans and Mexicans who also worked on the cane plantations or became paniolos (cowboys) in the big cattle ranches (yes, we do have cattle ranches and cowboys here and even one town called Waimea or Kamuela that might have been transported from the American West - we also have many people who settled here from other Pacific islands, Europe and the mainland states....and every one contributes not only to the melting pot, but to the customs, traditions, and of course, the foods.
We celebrate the Chinese New Year in a mixture of traditions. We celebrate the Japanese Girls Day on March 3rd and Boys Day on May 5th - we also celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the same day! Once a year in Hilo there is a big celebration, usually in August, we call Hawaii World Heritage Day, when we celebrate all of the different cultures and ethnic groups who make these islands home. On that day, you can see people wearing Scottish kilts, Polish costumes, Korean dresses that make the wearer look like a blooming flower, kimonos, and Polynesian garb.....It is a wonderful day!
Posted by: Sonia | January 13, 2009 at 05:30 PM
can you do something on this question.
why do hawaiins celabrate chinese new year
thnx
Posted by: adri | January 13, 2009 at 04:39 PM