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Downtown Observer

Visual Arts

Celebrating the Year of the Dog in D.C. (photos)

By Jeff Malet • February 20, 2018 0 1853

A dragon dance is performed by the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute at the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jeff Malet.

Thousands turned out to welcome the Lunar Year of the Dog with a colorful parade through Chinatown in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Feb. 18, featuring Chinese lion and dragon dances, musical performances, youth groups, marching bands and beauty queens. Participating in the festivities were Mayor Muriel Bowser and Council member Jack Evans, who has represented the Chinatown neighborhood for more than 20 years.

Leading the parade were Stanley Kao of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office; Wally Lee, chairman of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, the parade’s sponsor; and various city officials.

A few blocks away, on Saturday, Feb. 10, the Smithsonian American Art Museum held their 5th annual Chinese New Year Family Day, where attendees took in a lion dance, acrobatics and performances of Chinese folk music and opera by a troupe from China’s Sichuan province. Parents and their children were able to paint umbrellas by hand and try traditional Chinese paper-cutting and picture-making. SAAM partnered with the municipal government of Chengdu, Sichuan’s capital city.

The beginning date of the Lunar New Year is different each year. The Year of the Dog began on Friday, Feb. 16. The eleventh animal in the Chinese zodiac, the Dog is the symbol of loyalty and honesty. You are a “Dog” if you were born after the second month in one of the following years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994 or 2006. Some famous “Dogs” include Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.

View Jeff Malet’s photos from the Chinese New Year Parade and SAAM’s Chinese New Year Family Day by clicking on the photo icons below.

: 6 year old Elsa of Gaithersburg Md. in traditional Chinese costume

: With George Washington are Jennifer (7) and Kiana (11) of the Chinese Youth Club (CYC)

: Stephen Johnson (Ashburn Va.) of the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute’s Dragon Dance team

: Participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C. is 6 year old Yu-Sum.

: The Three Princes, Taiwanese cultural icons, participate in the Chinese New Year parade in Washington D.C. The Techno Three Prince Dance Performances can be found throughout Taiwan in venues such as cultural festivals, sports events, parades, and mainstream media.

: Julia Kang with members and youth from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, some dressed in traditional costumes.

: Daniel and Jasper of the Chinese Youth Club (CYC). Here taking a selfie with the Washington Wizard’s mascot G-Wiz.

: Members of the Washington Wizards cheerleaders and mascot G-Wiz.

: Participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C. is Army veteran Chin Fun Kwok.

: Participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C. are members of the Chinese American U.S. Military Veterans. Evelyn and Jim Moy carry a photo of their father, Coast Guard veteran Frank MooGew Moy.

: Jack Evans, Councilmember for District of Columbia’s Ward 2 and Washington D.C.’s Mayor Muriel Bowser.

: Participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C. are the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

: Thousands lined the streets in the Chinatown neighborhood to watch the parade.

: Participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C. are the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.

: 104 year old Chinese Youth Club co-founder Art Ping Lee.

: Chow Chow (age 5) from Rockville Md. participates in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C.

: Kids from the Maple School of Irish Dance participate in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C.

: The Wong People Kung Fu Association performs a Lion Dance, entertaining Grace, Brielle and Sara of Ellicott City Md. at the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C.

: Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School

: Participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C.are members of “Chinese Americans for Trump” (CAFT).

: Maplewood Youth Football participates in the Chinese New Year Parade

: Girl Scouts of America

: A dragon dance is performed by the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute at the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jeff Malet.

: Stanley Kao, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) to the United States delivers remarks.

: Wally Lee, Chairman of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA), receives a proclamation from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

: Jack Evans, Council Member for District of Columbia’s Ward 2 holds a resolution from the Council. Standing left to right: Stanley Kao, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) to the United States, and his wife Sherry Sung; Council Member Jack Evans, Mayor Muriel Bowser; Wally Lee, Chairman of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA); and Council Member Anita Bonds.

: The Wong People Kung Fu Association performs a Lion Dance

: The Wong People Kung Fu Association performs a Lion Dance

: A lion dance is performed by the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute at the Chinese New Year Parade in Washington D.C.

: Jackie Liu, 2017 Pacific Miss Asian American, feeds the lion a red envelope at a lion dance performed by the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute

: A lion dance is performed by the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute

: Jackie Liu, 2017 Pacific Miss Asian American.

: Bang Snaps noisemakers on sale

: Harvey (4) and mom Ling Ling Sun of Rockville try printmaking at the SAAM Chinese New Year Family Day

: Harvey (4) and mom Ling Ling Sun of Rockville try printmaking at the SAAM Chinese New Year Family Day

: Jayden Zhou, 3 yrs old, Fairfax City, Va, is fascinated by a puppet from the animated series Jiang Hu Lu Wan Wan on SAAM Chinese New Year Family Fun Day