What is it? Lunar New Year is a more universal term for Chinese New Year (since this holiday is recognized in a variety of Asian countries), celebrated by more than a billion people globally every January or February, depending on the Chinese lunar calendar.
When is it? It begins Sunday, and lasts for up to 15 days — depending on which country is celebrating. The holiday is called "Seollal" in Korea, and lasts for three days. It's called "Tết" is Vietnam and officially lasts for three days, but festivities can stretch for a week.
What animal-year is 2023? According to the Chinese zodiac, it’s the Year of the Rabbit — unless you’re Vietnamese, in which case it’s the Year of the Cat, for possible reasons explained here. (It’s said that the Year of the Cat is considered such a fortunate sign that the last one, in 2011, saw a baby boom in Vietnam.)
What will take place in Las Vegas? Most of the resorts will dress up for the occasion — Asian visitors are a vital tourism demo on the Strip — with lanterns, dragon imagery, and other symbols of luck and prosperity. Most have set up festive lion or dragon dances (schedule here). The Bellagio Conservatory has put up a special Lunar New Year floral extravaganza, while the Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes has an art installation with “an illuminated smoke-breathing dragon.”
Will there be parades? At least two: Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in Downtown Summerlin, and the following Sunday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. on Fremont Street.
