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This Saturday, February 10, welcomes in the Lunar New Year, a two-week long festival celebrated in Asian cultures.
Wellington will be celebrating the festival with a range of community events organised by the Asian Events Trust, starting this weekend with dragon and lion dances across the region as far as Foxton.
2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon, which holds special significance in Asian cultures and symbolises strength, prosperity, and good fortune.
Asian Events Trust Chair Linda Lim says it’s fantastic to be bringing the festival back to Wellington after a two-year hiatus, thanks to sponsorship from Lee Kum Kee, a globally renowned multinational company offering authentic Asian sauces and condiments.
“Everything is in place for a fantastic two-week celebration, and the community has really come in behind us. We’ve had offers of all sorts of performances and artistic works, which reinforces that Wellington really is the cultural epicentre of New Zealand.
“Just this week we’ve had the honour of hosting a world film premiere for DRAGON, a work that embraces the ecological and cultural significance of dragons in Japanese and Māori culture.”
DRAGON by Te Tumu Toi New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate Daniel Belton, and presented by Good Company Arts, will premiere online on Saturday at 12pm, on the Lunar New Year website.
“We’ve also got a giveaway running right now on our page for a wonderful spinning dragon wind sculpture, kindly gifted to us by Bonnie at Beauty and the Wind, a local Wellington business.”
Linda says community is a set to be a major theme of events this year.
“We’re getting interest from not just the Asian community, but across Wellington. This year is about bringing a taste of Asian culture, but with a distinctly Wellington twist.”
Lee Kum Kee are also excited to see the event come to life, and will have a stall at TSB Arena on the main festival day, Sunday, February 18.
“We are delighted to announce our participation in the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival, where we will showcase a Lee Kum Kee stall with a touch of Asian authenticity and flavour,” says Christine Lau, associate business development director of Lee Kum Kee says.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the people in Wellington, New Zealand and welcome the new chapter of the year together. This event not only celebrates traditional culture but also provides a platform to build connections, embrace positivity, and embark on a vibrant journey with the community.”
