Frances Tingle
Lion Dances, Live Music And The Best Food, Here Are Places In Dallas You Can Go To Celebrate The Beginning Of The Lunar New Year.
This year, the festival which celebrates the beginning of the new year under the lunisolar calendar begins on Feb 1. It’s celebrated in East and South East Asian countries, but with all the great eateries around town, we have the chance to get a taste of this festival right here in Dallas.
Below are five of the best places that are putting on a celebration.
Asia Times Square
This weekend, Jan. 28 — Jan. 30, this Asian market in Grand Prairie will have the second week of its 15th annual Lunar New Year Festival, the largest festival of its kind in North Texas. Included is a huge lineup of live musical and dance performances and vendors. A full schedule of the festivities can be found on the market’s Facebook page. The following weekend, Feb. 5 — Feb. 6, there’ll be lion dances and firework displays.
Wok Star Chinese
This Chinese restaurant on Walnut Hill Lane will host a special Lunar New Year celebration on Tuesday Feb. 1. That entails, traditional soup dumplings, a specialty cocktail — made with Malibu watermelon rum, El Cantinero Grapefruit and fresh grapefruit juice, giveaways and a traditional dragon dancers performance from the Lion Dance Sports Association at 6 p.m.
The Exchange Hall
On Feb. 5 at the AT&T Discovery District, you can watch a performance by the Rising Phoenix Lion Dance Association, a live DJ in the Globe, inspired craft cocktails and noodle specialties from Monkey King Noodle Co.
Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen
This Vietnamese restaurant in Lower Greenville will have a three day celebration from Friday Jan 28 to Sunday Jan 30. They’re serving Bún Thang, a special New Year noodle soup, and another Lunar New Year dish called Bánh chưng chiên – pan-fried sticky rice cake with mung bean & beef ham — with vegan options available as well. Sunday will have a lion dance performance, and you may be lucky to find a gold or red envelope with a gift cards with your dine-in or take-out order.
DFW Chinatown
Honoring the Year of the Tiger, Richardson’s own Chinatown is throwing its annual Chinese New Year Festival on Feb. 5. There’ll be cultural activities such as Chinese calligraphy, paper cutting and lantern painting and performances like kung fu, an orchestra, and fan dancing. The full list of entertainment can be found at the link.