OKEMOS, MI - The Greater Lansing Chinese Association hosted their annual Chinese New Year Celebration on Sunday, February 11 at the Meridian Mall.

The celebration took place near the food court area and began with a dragon parade and family fun. Activities during this event included music, dancing, singing, and more.

The first day of the 2024 Lunar New Year was February 10, initiating the Year of the Dragon and extends beyond Chinese culture and not only celebrated in China, but also in various Asian countries. Each year is associated with twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac that has existed for more than 2,000 years, and the characteristics of the animals are believed to influence the traits of people born in that year. The dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac calendar and represents good luck, justice, power, prosperity, and strength.

“Every year we’re here and we want to gather everyone as a family and celebrate Chinese New Year with us,” said Julie Jiang, one of the founders for Greater Lansing Chinese Association. “We have performers and a culture display with games and activities for everyone to participate in for learning experiences in Chinese culture.”

Jiang thanked their sponsors for their continued support and was happy the event was a success, and wants to continue celebrating and sharing Chinese New Year with the community.