Vaughan celebrates the Lunar New Year

City welcomes the Year of the Rat at ninth annual event

Today, Vaughan’s community joined Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Members of Council to welcome the Year of the Rat at the City’s ninth annual Lunar New Year event.

The festivities were held at Vaughan City Hall and featured an eye-dotting ceremony, a traditional lion dance and a visit from the God of Fortune. Stage entertainment included performances by Sandy Sun, Kenneth Lee, Eugene Cheung and Nina Wang. Guests in attendance took part in a variety of fun-filled games, colouring activities, origami making, arts and crafts, Chinese calligraphy and button making.

Mayor Bevilacqua delivered remarks to acknowledge the Asian community for their outstanding city-building achievements in Vaughan and beyond. Greetings were also provided by Ward 4 Councillor Sandra Yeung Racco, and Dr. Ken Ng, Chairman of the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham and York Region. Eugene Cheung, singer and Fairchild TV host, served as master of ceremonies. This year, the event was organized in partnership with the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Vaughan (FCCV).

Of all the traditional cultural festivals that are observed around the world, the Lunar New Year is one of the most elaborate, colourful and important to the Asian community. It is a time to congratulate each other on having completed another year, and a time to part with the old and welcome in the new.

QUOTE

“I want to extend my warmest and sincerest appreciation to everyone who attended the City’s ninth annual Lunar New Year celebration and to the organizing committee for their dedicated efforts to once again, plan an exceptional event for our community. Lunar New Year is a time for family and friends to come together, reflect on precious memories and create new ones. As we welcome the Year of the Rat, which represents wealth and surplus, it is important to recognize the outstanding contributions Asian-Canadians make, and acknowledge their heritage in a meaningful way. To all those celebrating, may you be blessed with health, happiness and good fortune this new year. Seollal, tết, gong hei fat choy, happy Lunar New Year!”
- Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua

QUICK FACTS
• This is the ninth annual City of Vaughan Lunar New Year event and was held in partnership with the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Vaughan (FCCV).
• Also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, this 15-day celebration is observed with a variety of customs, including thoroughly cleaning one’s house to bring good luck and exchanging of red envelopes filled with money to encourage prosperity.

LEARN MORE
• vaughan.ca/events
• Watch Mayor Bevilacqua’s Lunar New Year video message.

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