Exploring Lunar New Year in Houston

The Lunar New Year celebration that is most popular in Houston is grounded in the Chinese calendar and is observed by the many nationalities with strong cultural ties to China. In Houston that is mostly the Chinese and Vietnamese communities. Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the single most festive and important holiday in these communities and its commemoration involves weeks of preparation.

All photos by: Pin Lim, Debra Ham and Loriana Espinel

Customs vary from community to community and in Houston they come together in new ways but the entire event heralds new beginnings and signals relief from the travails of the old year. Crowds assemble at temples and community events to enjoy performances of the lion and dragon dances, fireworks and offerings. Families gather to experience the clamor of bells, the commotion of congregants, the whisper of prayer, the smell and smoke of incense in the air. Displays are mounted in homes, businesses and religious institutions throughout the city in a spirit of renewal and regeneration.