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Chinese New Year: Year of the Tiger

Photo Credit: stuzehner

The upcoming Chinese New Year begins on Sunday, February 14th this year. The District will be celebrating 2010′s Year of the Tiger with two huge events.  One will be held in Chinatown with a traditional dragon dance as a representation of bringing good luck and success for the new year and the other event will provide activities related to China and free tickets to the current exhibition, Terra Cotta Warriors, at the National Geographic museum.

February 6, 2010

National Geographic celebrates Chinese New Year a week early on February 6th at 1600 M St (NW), with free food provided by P.F. Changs china Bistro, film screenings, tennis demonstrations, activities for families, live performances, martial arts demonstrations and free giveaways to preview the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit. 150 free tickets will be given out and raffled, for more information, click here.

• 1600 M Street, NW, form 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tickets will be given away to the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit around 11 a.m.

February 21, 2010

The annual Chinese New Year festival will be held on February 21st. “The festival takes place in the heart of DC’s Chinatown and it includes an exciting parade, the Chinese Lion and Dragon Dances, as well as a five-story high firecracker that will be ignited at 3:45 p.m. According to the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce’s website, more than 4,000 red packets with key chain or lucky money will be given away during the parade.”

• Chinatown – on H Street, NW, between 6th and 8th Streets from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Giant firecracker set-off at 3:45 p.m.

Editor’s Note: If you’re feeling generous during the Chinese New Year, give gifts of money to celebrate the new lunar year to your friends and family by stuffing little red envelopes (representing the color of great joy and celebration) around February 14th. A ritual that many Chinese families have been preserving for centuries.