Influenced by Chinese culture and immigrants across the globe, the Chinese Lunar New Year, known as Spring Festival, has become a traditional celebration in many countries and has also been listed as a UN floating holiday by the 78th UN General Assembly. Approximately one-fifth of the global population celebrates the Spring Festival in various forms.
According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, representing the zodiac year for individuals born in 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012. Chinese take their year of birth (Ben Ming Nian) seriously because it might offend the God of Age (Tai Sui) due to beliefs of soothsaying. To avoid the potential risks and get good luck, they prefer wearing red underwear, socks, belts or accessories throughout the year.
As per the information provided by Wikipedia in 2021, the recorded Chinese population residing in Manitoba stands at 29,550 individuals. There are a few Chinese non-profit organizations providing all kinds of services to the Chinese community in Winnipeg.
Here are a series of celebration events open to the public during the Chinese Spring Festival. If you want to learn more about Chinese culture and make friends with Chinese, you’re always welcome to join.
Ring in the LNY with enthusiastic cheers and excitement at the Jets game
Time: 6pm February 10, 2024
Venue: Canada Life Center (300 Portage Ave, Winnipeg)
Ticket Price: $88.88
The celebration of the Spring Festival extends beyond Chinese communities to include East Asian communities, such as Korea and Japan, as well as Southeast Asian communities of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and more. With the 12-year animal zodiac cycle, 2024 marks the Year of the Dragon, symbolizing strength, nobility, glory, luck, and success. Aside from enjoying the thrilling ice hockey game, the lively atmosphere at the venue is a major highlight, adding a distinctive festive vibe to the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Experience the culture of Chinese Calligraphy
Time: 2-3 pm, February 10th
Venue: IKEA Winnipeg (500 Sterling Lyon Pkwy, Winnipeg)
Ticket: Free (only IKEA member)
The ACCMB (Association of Chinese Calligraphers in Manitoba) is going to present a Chinese calligraphy workshop at IKEA. If you are a registered IKEA member, you can click here to sign up the event. You will be experiencing the charming Chinese calligraphy by learning how to hold brush and write Chinese strokes.
IKEA also provides special water writing calligraphy paper for children under 12, allowing kids to learn through play with Chinese calligraphy.
Watch a splendid show presented by Chinese performance artists
Time: 7pm February 17th, 2024
Venue: Club Regent Casino, Winnipeg
Ticket: $30/adult; $15/child 12 years and under
Join CBC’s Marcy Markusa and Great Wall Performing Arts for the 21st anniversary of their Lunar New Year Celebration. Welcome in the “Year of the Dragon” with local and international performances that will fill your festive spirits. Music, dance, magic and ventriloquism all in one place! To book your tickets, click here.
Time: 6:30pm February 18th, 2024
Venue: PMKUM KOON GARDEN, Winnipeg
Tickets: $50/Adult; $30/kid (under 12 years old)
Approximately 600 guests will attend the celebration to enjoy delicious food (main course and dessert), wonderful performances, and raffle draws together. Performances include lion dancing, a student choir, instrumental presentations, traditional dancing, and more. You have a chance to win various prizes through raffle draws. Established in 1974, the Manitoba Academy of Chinese Studies has been teaching Mandarin language, arts, and culture to students in Manitoba. All profits will be used to further develop our language and arts programs.
Fully engage with Chinese community and have fun
Time: 4-8pm February 24th, 2024 (Lantern Festival)
Venue: Southlands Community Church (85 Keslar Rd, Winnipeg)
Ticket Price (including dinner): $25/adult; $15/child 8 years and under; free for children 3 years and under.
If you want to experience spring festival in authentic way, you don’t want to miss out The WCSA New Year and Lantern Festival celebration event. You will have lots of fun here- watching Chinese traditional performances, making dumplings, savoring glutinous rice dumplings (Tangyuan), playing with paper cutting, lantern riddles, karaoke, chess games, face painting and etc…
Nowadays, the Spring Festival is not only celebrated by the Chinese people but also embraced by people of other ethnicities who join in the festivities. In Chinese communities in countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, and others, diverse celebratory activities are held, allowing people to collectively experience the holiday vibe.
