West Hartford celebrated the Lunar New Year on Friday.
February 16 marks the beginning of the 2018 Lunar New Year, which is the year of the dog.
The Lunar, or often referred to as Chinese New Year, is a big holiday for many Asian-American families seeking health and prosperity.
In West Hartford and around the world, the celebration tends to revolve around food.
Sonny Chen, the owner of Black Bamboo in West Hartford, said he moved to the United States from China when he was seven years old.
For Lunar New Year, Chen sticks to the staples: dumplings and noodles. Dumplings symbolize good health and fortune, while noodles represent a long life.
"We’ve already done a bunch of catering for [some schools]," Chen said. "You don’t have to be Chinese to celebrate Chinese New Year. I think everyone, especially in the school system, [are] trying to participate in it."
Local
Cities like Boston and New York plan to host Lunar New Year parades over the weekend. According to U.S. census data, Connecticut has roughly 11,000 Eastern Asian immigrants, mostly living in Fairfield and New Haven counties.
