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Event
Information:
The Chinese New Year Parade
celebrates the Lunar New Year (this
year it is the "Year of the Rabbit
4709") and marches right through the
middle of Chicago's Chinatown. There
is very limited street parking (off
the parade route of course) and two
paid lots at 21st/Wentworth and
24th/Wentworth. These lots are
guaranteed to fill up quickly and
early. The Chinatown New Year Parade
celebrating the Lunar New Year,
“Year of the RABBIT 4709” will
include marching bands, floats, lion
teams, a100’ Mystical Dragon, and
Miss Friendship Ambassador. Please
join us to welcome the New Year as
we convey “Gung Hay Fat Choi” to all
in attendance.
According to tales and legends, the
beginning of Chinese New Year
started with the fight against a
mythical beast called the Nien. Nien
would come on the first day of New
Year to devour livestock, crops, and
even villagers, especially children.
To protect themselves, the villagers
would put food in front of their
doors at the beginning of every
year. It was believed that after the
Nien ate the food they prepared, it
wouldn’t attack any more people. One
time, people saw that the Nien was
scared away by a little child
wearing red. The villagers then
understood that the Nien was afraid
of the colour red. Hence, every time
when the New Year was about to come,
the villagers would hang red
lanterns and red spring scrolls on
windows and doors. People also used
firecrackers to frighten away the
Nien. From then on, Nien never came
to the village again. The Nien was
eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu,
an ancient Taoist monk. The Nien
became Hongjun Laozu's mount.
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