The Comox Valley Multicultural and Immigrant Support Society is celebrating the Lunar New Year by presenting a Multicultural Fashion Show and Carnival on Feb. 16.
The show at 4:30 p.m. at the Native Sons’ Hall at 360 Cliffe Ave. will feature costumes from other countries, a variety of ethnic foods for sale and live entertainment including Chinese dancing, Tai Chi, Chinese yoyo, Anela Kahiamoe and Filipino performers.
Wear a costume from another country and be eligible for one of three prizes for best costume. This is a chance to wear that flowered shirt from Hawaii, that sarong that has been sitting in the closet for years, or the hat or scarf that you've been saving for the right occasion.
Or dress in traditional Lunar New Year colours of gold and red. Be as creative as you want.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $10 for families, available through Jin Lin at 250-898-9567 or cvmiss@gmail.com, at 'Beyond' the Kitchen Door at 274 Fifth St. in Courtenay or at the door.
The Lunar New Year celebration includes lantern making, workshops at the museum, a dragon and lantern parade, and the fashion show and carnival. More information is at www.comoxvalleymulticultural.ca.
Lunar New Year is the beginning of the year on the lunar calendar, which is based on cycles of the moon.
Many cultures use various forms of lunar calendars. Some have different ways of determining the beginning of the year. Many Asian countries use the Chinese calendar to celebrate the new year at the same time.
This year the new year falls on Feb. 10. According to the Chinese Zodiac, it will be the Year of the Snake.
There are a variety of other cultures that use lunar calendars different than the Chinese calendar. Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand begin their new year in April. The Hindu calendar begins its new year around March or April of each year and the Jewish new year falls around September or October.
In these cultures, the calendar is actually a lunisolar calendar because an extra month is added every few years so the calendar co-ordinates with the seasons. The Islamic calendar is a true lunar calendar and has 12 lunar cycles each year, which means the new year can fall during any season.
— Comox Valley Multicultural and Immigrant Support Society