Ahead of this weekend's Spokane Lunar New Year celebration, Vina Cathcart of Spokane United We Stand came into the KPBX studio to talk about what the event holds.
This event was re-introduced to Spokane in 2022 after an almost 90-year hiatus. In slight contrast to other local Lunar New Year festivities, Cathcart noted that this one-day event is meant to be pan-cultural. It includes representatives from across Spokane's Asian heritage, Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AAHPI) communities who observe the Lunar New Year.
Cathcart opened by talking about the event's rapid growth over the past three years. This year, its move into Exhibit Hall A of the Spokane Convention Center will allow over 100 vendors to take part plus several thousand attendees.
She also previewed some of the activities and performances that will be on offer for this Year of the Dragon celebration. Along with calligraphy lessons and the lion and dragon dances, there will be a Third Prince with authentic costumes provided by the Taiwanese embassy. New this year is a fashion show with traditional attire from multiple countries.
Additionally, the organizers are planning to distribute 5,000 red envelopes with over $20,000 in gift cards from local businesses.
The Spokane Lunar New Year Celebration takes place this Saturday (Feb. 24) at the Spokane Convention Center. For more details, please visit the Spokane United We Stand website.
