Thousands from Edmonton’s Chinese and Vietnamese communities rang in the Chinese New Year with a full weekend of celebrations that wrapped up Sunday.
Organizers say thousands flocked to the 10th annual Chinese New Year Carnival, a two-day kickoff at the Chinese Catholic Parish Hall to mark 2009 on the Chinese calendar — the year of the Ox.
Sandy Lai, a carnival organizer, said more people attended the carnival than last year, which attracted more than 4,000 people.
“It seems like this event gets bigger and bigger every year,” said Lai.
Lai said the celebration is part of a vital custom in Chinese culture as the festivities wraps up the previous year before a new one begins.
The Chinese also believe that people who are born in the year of the Ox have certain characteristics, said Lai.
“People born in the year of the Ox tend to be very hard working, strong minded and they tend to be very successful people,” said Lai.
Chinese New Year falls on Jan. 26 this year.
