Photos by Laura Ohata and Mich Ohata
The Year of the Dragon started off with a “bang!” After martial arts performances and dragon dancing, the honorable Mayor Lee Leffingwell set off the first firecrackers with Alex Tan, the developer of Chinatown Center, located at 10901 N. Lamar Blvd. in Austin, Texas. On January 29th, thousands of people crowded into the shopping center to enjoy martial arts demonstrations, dragon and lion dancing, great food, and a community resource fair. Here are some photo highlights of this year’s event:
- Dragons chase fiery pearls through the sky.
Martial artists hoist a dragon puppet on poles and chase a fiery pearl through the air.
Lions cavort under the pagoda at Chinatown Center.
Alex Tan unpins a microphone on Mayor Lee Leffingwell of Austin, Texas.
Firecrackers frighten away evil spirits bringing good luck for the new year.
Lion points out the firecrackers.
Ouch! Hot.
Time for a sandwich.
Lions bring hilarity and prosperity into shops for the new year.
Hair salons, restaurants, jewelers, and other shops entertain lions.
Like children across Asia, lions accept lucky, red envelopes stuffed with new money.
Lions are very curious creatures.
They can't resist...
...checking out that new cell phone of yours.
Buddha stops by to say hello, and tell the lions that it is time to leave.
Drums are the heartbeat of Chinese New Year.
Cymbals, like drums and firecrackers, scare away evil spirits.
Children from the Summitt Elementary Dragon and Lion Dance Team perform.
Dancers traditionally take turns performing and resting throughout the course of the festival.
Great strength goes into bringing a lion to life.
This green lion takes a fancy to a red ball.
Buddha trains the lion to stand on a ball.
Happy New Year!
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