For additional information on the event, or the civic association, please contact Gene Tao at 959-7887 or etgenetao@gmail.com.
The Chinese Civic Association of Hawaii will sponsor its annual dinner to welcome in the Chinese New Year on Sunday, Jan. 22, at the Sky Garden restaurant at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo.
Tickets are $50 and may be purchased by calling 961-0406. The number of seats is limited to 180. Because of the banquet’s popularity, those who plan to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets early.
According to the Chinese zodiac of 12 mythical animal deities, the year of 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which begins on Jan. 23 and ends Feb. 9, 2013.
The Sky Garden chefs will feature 11 dishes for the festive occasion. A cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. will precede the dinner.
In addition to the dinner, other programs will be hosted by the civic club befitting the celebration of the dragon year, said Newton Chu, president of the Chinese Civic Association.
“The banquet will be held on a very special night,” said Chu, “because it happens right on the eve before the beginning of the new year.”
In China, Chinese New Year’s Eve is the most popular date of the year for family reunions. Each year, hundreds of millions of people who work in far-flung locations will make the long trek back, trying to reach their home villages before the eve.
As a result of this annual holiday migration, some parts of China become paralyzed in massive traffic jams.
The Chinese year follows a lunar calendar and rotates on a 12-animal zodiac cycle. The dragon is the fifth symbol on the zodiac. Twelve years from 2012, the dragon will reign again in 2024.
For additional information on the event, or the civic association, please contact Gene Tao at 959-7887 or etgenetao@gmail.com.