The Year of the Snake is fast approaching, and to commemorate the occasion, the Nanaimo Chinese Cultural Society is holding a gala with food and dancing from Asian cultures.
"It's going to be a celebration, a get-together, and that's usually what Lunar New Year is, for you, your family and friends to get together and celebrate – just in a much bigger way than you would do at home," said Jerry Hong, chairperson of the Nanaimo Chinese Cultural Society
The event is coming up Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Beban Park Social Centre. Performances will include a lion dance as well as Japanese taiko drumming, which Hong said came about from an effort to include other Asian cultures that celebrate the holiday outside of China.
A buffet dinner will be catered by Hong Kong House, and a 50/50 draw will be held as well as a silent auction.
The drumming will be performed Shachihoko Taiko, a group formed in 2024 in Nanaimo in collaboration with the Central Vancouver Island Japanese Canadian Society, also known as 7 Potatoes.
"Taiko is an ancient art form in Japan and it has been used in centuries for temple, for ceremonies, for festivals and it's a very joyous high-energy type of music," said Tami Hirasawa, 7 Potatoes president. "It's a big part of Japanese culture. It really adds to Japanese culture here in Nanaimo."
Hong said the Year of the Snake means those born in the Zodiac sign of the snake, also known as the little dragon, can be expected to thrive.
"Snakes are patient, they are smart – a little mischievous but not like the dragon, and they're very cunning," Hong said. "So you want to be close friends with the snake, but not too close."
People under Year of the Snake include those born in 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025.
For this Saturday's event, doors open at 4 p.m. and performances begin at 5 p.m. Anyone is welcome to order tickets, which can be purchased online at http://porttheatre.com.