A visitor takes photo with lion dancers at Chinese Lunar New Year Festival in Los Angeles County, California, the United States, Feb. 1, 2025. The historic Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens hosted a sold-out Chinese Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
by Julia Pierrepont III, Tan Jingjing
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The historic Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in Los Angeles County hosted a sold-out Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday and Sunday.
Blessed with bright sunlight and balmy weather of a glorious Southern California day, The Huntington provided the ideal backdrop for a full weekend's worth of fun and educational Chinese and Asian cultural activities, including lion dances, martial arts demonstrations, dance performances, drumming and musical performances, book readings, and much more.
Under festive red lanterns bobbing cheerfully from the trees overhead, the diverse gathering of thousands included families and folks of all nationalities who came lugging brimming picnic baskets and pushing infants in strollers. Also in evidence were young courting couples holding hands as they blissed out in the scenic splendor, and adults looking for a relaxing respite from stressful jobs.
For one of The Huntington's busiest weekend of the year, the hotly sought-after tickets were sold out online almost instantly.
"We came last year and loved it so much, I kept checking their website every hour for weeks to make sure we could come again," one African American guest, Clara P., from Costa Mesa told Xinhua.
Clara joined thousands of other lucky guests eager to enjoy the delightful Lunar New Year festivities set amid the serene and enchanting beauty of The Huntington's Chinese Garden of Flowing Fragrance, Lui Fang Yuan, now enjoying the first flowers of the season.
The 15-acre Chinese Garden is one of the finest classical-style Chinese gardens outside of China. It features a 1.5-acre lake, pavilions, an art gallery, dining facilities, and more.
Brightly-colored lion dancers leapt and writhed across The Huntington's spacious East Lawn, eliciting squeals of delight from the kids and families gathered to watch them. During the Chinese New Year celebrations in particular, they are believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the upcoming year.
"This place and event are totally unique and wonderful. Nothing else like it," Dylan from San Marino told Xinhua.
Also on the spacious East Lawn, chest-thrumming Taiko drum performances echoed through the grounds while lively demonstrations of martial arts enthralled the spectators.
A mask-changer also put in an appearance, dazzling the crowd with his lightning swift face changes. Two Chinese opera performances were staged by the Chinese Kwun Opera Society over the weekend, "Inquiry about Illness" from "The Tale of the Jade Hairpin" and "An Interrupted Dream" from "The Peony Pavilion."
"I went to see the Chinese opera," a visitor, Irene W., from Hollywood told Xinhua. "Very unique and I loved the exotic costumes."
Other traditional Chinese cultural elements were part of the festivities too, including tables of Chinese arts and crafts, book readings for kids and parents.
Jessica Mak, advancement strategic initiatives director at the Huntington Library, said the Lunar New Year Festival is "one of our largest and most popular events" and "we look forward to celebrating the incredibly rich tradition of Lunar New Year with our community." ■
A woman performs martial arts at Chinese Lunar New Year Festival in Los Angeles County, California, the United States, Feb. 1, 2025. The historic Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens hosted a sold-out Chinese Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
