SEATTLE — On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Seattle's Chinatown International District.
"Welcome home,” said Greg Wong, the deputy mayor of Seattle. “Come home to the C.I.D. Come home to Seattle."
"A home filled with family and friends, celebrating a new beginning,” said Wong. "Take this Lunar New Year to celebrate your loved ones, your culture. Whatever you're doing, do it together because we're stronger as one community."
Lunar New Year is a holiday celebrated by billions of people across the world and thousands of families here in Seattle. "We just want to make sure we make the city proud, and we do it justice,” said Han Eckelberg. “With how proud we are of our culture."
Eckelberg is an instructor with Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association which performed during Saturday’s celebration in the heart of Seattle's Chinatown International District.
He also works at the Wing Luke Museum which hosted the event just outside its doors. An event to recognize the year to come and a moment for healing after a devastating attack at the museum in September.
"Whatever hatred, whatever evil that was down on that side,” said Eckelberg. “We're chasing all that away. Not only a testament to the ongoing battles that we go through as Asian Americans. But really the testament to how strong our culture is and unifying altogether."
Bringing all walks of life, to one of Seattle’s oldest treasures, the Chinatown International District.
"I think it's beautiful. I think it brings great attention to it,” said Laura Zucker, who attended Saturday’s event with her family. “It brings families in and kids in so they can have exposure different types of celebrations and family activities and cultures."
As Lunar New Year celebrations bring positive attention to Asian cultures and communities along western Washington, Eckelberg hopes it will also bring a lasting impact for visitors, always welcome to his home.
"I want to show them here is what we are capable of and this is what we've been doing,” said Eckelberg. “If they take that chance to really see us for who we are. I think that they'll be happily surprised."
The official date Lunar New Year is observed is Saturday, Feb. 10.