SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Welcome to the Year of the Tiger!
The San Diego Lunar New Year Festival will ring in the New Year this weekend, Jan. 28 - 30, at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park in City Heights.
The best part is that it's free, so round up your family and friends for the 3-day event.
The event, which organizers say is the largest Tet Holiday event in San Diego and the second-largest event of its kind in Southern California, will feature cultural singing and dancing, food vendors, dragon dancing, a break-dancing competition, and more.
Perhaps, just as importantly, the festival gives organizers an opportunity to reach out to the Vietnamese population in San Diego.
The Lunar New Year typically falls between late January and mid-February, and it is celebrated around the globe, particularly in China, Vietnam, South Korea, North Korea, and Tibet.
The Lunar New Year also marks the change of signs on the Chinese zodiac calendar. The year 2022 was the Year of the Ox; the new year means it is now the Year of the Tiger. The tiger is known as the king of all beasts in China, and the zodiac is associated with strength, exorcising evils, and bravery.
There will also be a Pho eating contest, free lucky coins to help you grow your money in 2022, free toys for kids, and free balloons.
According to the event website, festivities will take place on:
- Friday, 5 to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On Saturday, organizers are also holding a COVID-19 vaccine site from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., no appointments necessary.
