Stockton holds March celebration of Chinese New Year
STOCKTON — The city of Stockton held its annual Chinese New Year celebration this weekend, and even though the official holiday began a month ago, the Chinese community there chose the month of March to ring in the Year of the Dragon.
There were plenty of things to see and do at the event, which was held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The family-friendly event was held at the First Baptist Church community center and brought in visitors of all ages.
The Lunar New Year is an important part of Chinese culture and other Asian groups that call Stockton home.
"We have a very rich heritage with the Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino communities," said Leslie Edman, the executive director of the Central Valley Asian Chamber. "We had a very, very strong historic community in downtown Stockton at one time, so it's very important for us to preserve our heritage, and we do that by supporting one another at these cultural festivals."
The event honored Asian American leaders who serve the community, and it included retired San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Frank Kim.
After the award show presentation, the stars of the show took to the stage.
Lion dancers looked more like acrobats perched high above as traditional music played in the background. The lion dancers eventually made their way toward the crowd.
Some kids were anxious to pet them and feed them red envelopes filled with money — all for good luck.