Skip to content

PHOTOS: Victoria kicks off the Year of the Snake in style

Chinatown's annual Lunar New Year parade ran Feb. 8 in Victoria

The streets of Chinatown in downtown Victoria came alive Sunday (Feb. 9) with the annual Lunar New Year Parade, which included lions, dragons, kung fu and cabbage tossing. 

"For me, it's really special because I've been doing this for 32 years; my son and daughter come and help out," said Daniel Low, a senior lion dancer and spokesperson. "But, it's great to see all walks of life come out here enjoying in the festivities, getting some noodles, some buns, and just celebrating the whole Lunar New Year's."

Hundreds gathered at the heart of Victoria's Chinatown to watch lion dancers, listen to drumming and welcome the Year of the Snake. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association hosted the annual event.

"I've been helping out every year since I moved here," parade volunteer Samantha Hall said. "It brings me back to my Asian culture.

"I really like the big performance at the end. They have a lion dancer jump on the table who does a big lettuce kick to spread prosperity. Going store to store and seeing all the faces light up when they see the lion busting through their store, it's pretty cool." 

Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of a new year based on the traditional Chinese calendar.

Festivities kicked off at the Gates of Harmonious Interest with an eight-lion performance by the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club, followed by a dragon dance from the Victoria Chinese Public School. The lion dance is said to bring good luck, prosperity and success. 

As the parade made its way down Fisgard and onto Douglas Street, Lion Dancers stopped outside many businesses to celebrate and toss cabbage, a symbol of wealth, prosperity and abundance. 

While many attendees had seen similar celebrations before, they had not seen the lions travel between businesses. 

"I lived in Calgary and I went to a few of them there but I'm not sure what they're doing here," said Violet Cieslik, gesturing at the lions dancing in front of Island Poke on Douglas Street. "I'm enjoying it a lot, I think it's very colourful."

 



Evan Lindsay

About the Author: Evan Lindsay

I joined Black Press Media's Victoria hub in 2024, Now I am writing for six papers across Greater Victoria, with a particular interest in food security
Read more