Las Vegas Lunar New Year Parade Celebrates Year of the Dragon

Posted on: February 17, 2024, 09:31h. 

Last updated on: February 21, 2024, 11:27h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More

Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

The annual Las Vegas Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year Parade, will take place Saturday at Fremont East Entertainment District in downtown Las Vegas.

It starts at 11 a.m. and lasts for about an hour. Between noon and 3 p.m., a parade after-party will be held at Downtown Container Park. It will feature live entertainment and many vendors.

Many other Lunar New Year events to usher in the Year of the Dragon will be held at casinos, malls, and other locations throughout Las Vegas this weekend. These include:

• The North Premium Outlets will host a dragon dance between 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday.
• The festivities continue between 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the UnCommons development. It will be highlighted by an Asian night market with food, crafts, live entertainment, a traditional dragon dance, a squid game-themed display, and wishing trees. The event is scheduled to run from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 6880 Helen Toland St. It’s sponsored by the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Chamber of Commerce of Southern Nevada.
• The Shops at Crystals will hold a ceremonial lion dance at 1 p.m. Sunday.
• The Desert Springs Community Center will sponsor a spring festival between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Live performances, arts and crafts, vendors, games, and workshops will take place.
• Starting at 3 p.m. Sunday, the AAPI chamber will hold a new year’s festival at Chinatown Plaza, 4205 Spring Mountain Road. A traditional lion dance starts at 6:30 p.m., and a dragon drone show begins at 7:30 p.m. Events conclude at 9 p.m.

The Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens will display its “Infinite Prosperity: The Year of the Dragon” exhibit through March 2.

The display includes: 23K fresh and preserved flowers to make the children, 12K plants on display, 8K handmade and hand-placed scales on the dragon, and 1.8K I-Ching coins on the money trees and around Caishen, the Chinese God of Wealth.

Zodiac Symbol of Dragon

Traditionally, Chinese zodiac signs are represented by 12 different animals. This year, it’s the dragon.

We love the Lunar New Year, and this symbol, the dragon, is one of the most powerful and prosperous of the lunar zodiacs,” Bellagio Gardens Project Manager Leah Jonic said in a statement.

The Lunar New Year also holds immense significance for the Asian community and visitors in Las Vegas, Chloe Kwan, director of strategic initiatives at Las Vegas-based Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), told Casino.org.

Fresh Start

“It marks the beginning of the year, symbolizing a fresh start through family gatherings, ancestral prayers, and cultural traditions,” Kwan explained. “In Las Vegas, the holiday is celebrated with elaborate decorations in every casino, reflecting the annual animal symbol — this year, the dragon.”

Among the traditions are gambling, believed to bring luck, and the many festivities bridge generations and preserve cultural heritage.

Lunar New Year events in Las Vegas encompass diverse Asian communities, fostering unity and participation. This year, being the Year of the Dragon (the wooden dragon in particular), holds heightened importance due to its symbolic power and leadership qualities,” Kwan said.