Dragon dance, Wuhan, China

© Miao Jian/Wuhan Morning Post/Visual China Group via Getty Image

Happy Chinese New Year!. Chinese New Year

The streets come alive today with a symphony of firecrackers, red lanterns and cheerful chatter—it's Chinese New Year. Steeped in thousands of years of tradition, this holiday marks the start of the lunisolar Chinese calendar. One of the most captivating images associated with this festival is the dragon dance, pictured here. This is a mesmerising performance where skilled dancers manipulate a long, flexible dragon puppet, bringing it to life with sinuous, undulating movements. The dragon, a symbol of power, dignity and good fortune, is believed to bring luck to the community, with longer dragons bringing even more prosperity.

The festivities of the Chinese New Year aren't confined to China alone; they resonate across the globe, from the streets of Singapore to Canadian cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. The 51st Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Celebration will take place on February 2, the fifth day of the Year of the Snake. This parade is known to be one of the oldest and largest parades in the country, featuring cultural performances, martial arts displays and elaborate floats. Each place adds its unique twist, but the core traditions remain the same: family reunions, sumptuous feasts and the exchange of hongbao—red envelopes filled with money. This blend of ancient customs and modern practices unites people in joy and hope for the year ahead.