The local event is set for Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Britt Pavilion
By James Sloan, Rogue Valley Times
Celebrated by many across the Asian diaspora, the Lunar New Year commemorates the arrival of spring with high-spirited parades, fireworks and red and gold decorations to bring good luck and prosperity.
Bringing the worldwide celebration to the Rogue Valley, the Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association will offer family-friendly fun and opportunities to take part in the cultural festivities, as well as learn more about Asian heritage and traditions.
The local event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Britt Pavilion, 350 S. First St., in Jacksonville.
“We have a lot of programs going on. I think the best thing is that it’s a free event; we’ve got great sponsorships and it’s very family friendly,” said Jeresa Hren, former founding president of the SOCCA and current board member.
2024 is the Year of the Dragon — considered by many to be the luckiest sign in the Chinese zodiac — with the dragon representing personality traits of intelligence, charisma, leadership and good luck.
The Lunar New Year Celebration will include a wide variety of activities, booths and educational opportunities.
Performers will begin the day with dragon and lion dances accompanied by “The Mighty One,” a 70-foot-long dragon puppet donated to the SOCCA from San Francisco.
The massive puppet was introduced to the local community close to a decade ago and was originally constructed in Guangzhou, China, before being shipped to San Francisco for a prior festival.
Bringing “The Mighty One” to Southern Oregon was no easy feat.
“My husband and I rented the biggest van possible and went down there to this huge warehouse … it was very exciting because it’s a very old dragon, brought (to San Francisco) in 1968,” Hren said.
Performers and exhibitors representing Japan, Vietnam, China and Korea will showcase their respective cultures with a range of handcrafts, martial arts demonstrations, Taiko drumming of Japan and a Chinese historical fashion show.
“So far, I’ve got about 25 different booths and six or seven live performances or presentations,” Hren said.
This year’s celebration has expanded the cultural showcases to extend beyond just Chinese customs and traditions to encompass the cultures of Asian peoples across the continent.
“Lunar New Year is as big, if not bigger, than Christmas. A lot of people look forward to this particular festival every year,” Hren said, adding, “There are over 16 countries in Asia that celebrate the Lunar New Year.”
Booths at the event will include plenty to explore and learn about — such as a Bonsai tree booth, another showcasing the Japanese flower arranging art of Ikebana, a Chinese pastry art booth, exhibits on Asian calligraphy and other arts and crafts booths.
“The Jacksonville/Applegate Rotary Club will be participating, and with it being an international organization, they’ll be doing a crash course on the geography of Asia,” Hren said.
The Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology will have representatives to give presentations on the Rogue Valley and Jacksonville’s local Chinese history.
For the more active kids, the event will include two large dragon jump houses.
“Nobody is going to get bored, there’s something for everybody,” Hren said.
The SOCCA was formed in 2006 by Hren and seven others to facilitate awareness, appreciation and understanding of Chinese culture and history, also highlighting Jacksonville’s historic relationship and important roles of Chinese immigrants in the region during the 19th century and onward.
The nonprofit has organized the annual Lunar New Year Celebration since 2006.
To learn more about the SOCCA, visit socca.us.
Reach reporter James Sloan at jsloan@rv-times.com. This story first appeared in the Rogue Valley Times.
