GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas– Over the past two weekends, residents gathered at Asia Times Square in celebration of the Lunar New Year. This is the Market’s 17th year holding this big celebration.
“Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday for the Asian community,” Asia Times Square CEO Matthew Loh said. “It’s basically Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New Year all lumped into one. It’s absolutely the biggest, most celebrated holiday. Back home, it’s almost a one-month-long celebration, [and] at Asia Times Square in Grand Prairie, we celebrate it for three weekends.”
This year’s celebrations at Asia Times Square started the weekend of Jan. 26 and will end the weekend of Feb. 10. The first two weekends of this celebration were filled with large crowds. Food vendors offered a wide range of treats, including boba, sugar cane, mochi donuts, pandan waffles, grilled octopus and snail among other delicious foods.
Each night, the Jiu Long Lion Dance Troupe performed dragon dances. The last weekend will end with a Chinese firework show and more dragon dances.
“We celebrate so big here at Asia Times Square because I know when my dad was still alive, he wanted to bring that type of atmosphere here for the seniors who can’t travel back home whether it be health or financial issues,” Loh said. “He wanted to bring that type of entertainment, that type of festivities here so that the seniors can relive their childhood memories, but most importantly, to continue that tradition so that our youth doesn’t lose their roots.”
Over the years, Asia Times Square has evolved into an entertainment spot during the Lunar New Year bringing people from all different cultures together to celebrate.
“I am an extremely proud Asian American, and I want to make sure that we can continue to hold those traditions but at the same time welcome new non Asians to come and celebrate with us,” Loh said. “I think [its] very important that we promote culture. That’s why at Asia Times Square, our mission is preserving tradition and promoting culture.”
The welcoming atmosphere brings back locals year after year to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
“When we started coming, it was a lot smaller, a lot smaller crowd,” Gladys Sosa, the face of Explore The Prairie on Instagram, said. “Now its very diverse. It’s a very, very diverse crowd. I think it’s just the community being more aware of this event and knowing that it’s a place where everyone is welcomed.”
All of the events held at Asia Times Square are free to the public, including parking. Loh said he plans for a big surprise to close out the celebration for attendees. The Lunar New Year official date of celebration is Feb. 10, marking the start of the Year of the Dragon. The Asia Times Square celebration is scheduled to conclude Feb. 10 and Feb. 11 beginning at noon each day. No vendors are scheduled to take part in the final weekend. Instead, the final weekend is expected to include a firecracker show and a lion and dragon dance.
