Lunar Fest of San Bernardino attracts 1000+ present, residents celebrate the growing cultural diversity – the community of the Inner Empire

More than 1,000 people gathered at Court Street Square on Saturday for the second year of Lunar Fest of San Bernardino, a celebration of the Lunar New Year, which emphasizes the growing cultural diversity in the city. Host from the City and Recreation Department, the event included live performances, food suppliers and traditional festivities, attracting participants of all ages and origin.

Mayor Helen Tran, dressed in silk Ao dai– Traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year’s dress – adopted the festival as a reflection of the unity and cultural embrace of San Bernardino.

“The fact that we perceive cultural celebrations and our diversity in this community is important,” Tran said. “If you look around, you see people from all walks of life that gather to study, understand and celebrate. This is for the community and this is San Bernardino. We are a community and it’s beautiful. “

After the event exceeds its current location, Tran hinted at the potential move of the vacant lot of Carousel Mall next year to adapt a growing visit.

The residents expressed their appreciation for the presentation of the event of the diverse community of San Bernardino. Maria Franco, who is present with four neighbors, said she was encouraged by the inclusion of the festival.

“It’s great to see more cultural events in our city,” Franco said. “We only went to two blocks to be here, and it’s amazing to see this kind of holiday in our own neighborhood.”

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a centuries -old tradition that marks the beginning of the Chinese calendar year. The festivities include family gatherings, gifts, traditional foods, fireworks and luck prayers. Emblematic symbols such as lanterns, plum flowers and 12 Chinese zodiac animals – this year is the snake – they hold deep cultural importance.

For Tran, the holiday has a personal sense.

“As we grow up, we will make sure that our home is creaking clean and when a new year comes, we hugged ourselves, thanked and prayed for our ancestors,” she said. “For my culture, the holiday lasts three days, filled with beautiful food, family and children are always spoiled with red envelopes full of money. It has always been a great time for my family to get together. “

The festival during the day included an array of attractions, including a bar area, special suppliers of crafts, lunar New Year’s decorations and numerous stages of photo zones. One of the distinctive performances of the event was a violinist who combined complex dance movements with his music, captivating the audience.

San Bernardino resident Connie Galaviz said that the violinist’s performance was her favorite part of the event, while the Cortez family, who stopped after church, remained for hours after being attracted to the energy of the crowd and a live sword demonstration.

While San Bernardino continues to perceive his cultural diversity through events like Lunar Fest, residents say they hope to see even more celebrations, emphasizing the many traditions of the city.