Chinese New Year Festival and Run
2001 at Lafreniere Park

 

The New Orleans Chinese Presbyterian Church will be celebrating its tenth annual New Years Festival and Run on Saturday, January 27, 2001 at LafrenierePark. The festival will feature Chinese food and pastries, folk dancing and music, martial arts demonstrations, as well as arts, crafts, cultural exhibits and games. The Year of the Snake will be celebrated; Chinese Lunar Year 4699.

 

1 MILE RUN AND 5K RACE

The annual run will begin at 9:30 am and loops through scenic Lafreniere Park. There will be awards for each age group as well as for top masters male and female finishers. All runners will receive free food and drinks. To join the pack of 600 runners, register with the NewOrleans Track Club (NOTC).

 

YEAR OF THE SNAKE

January 24, 2001 will mark the beginning of the new lunar year, 4699. Those born in the year of Year of the Snake (1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989) are said to be Refined, Attractive, Quick Tempered but Calm, Self Critical but Confident and Wise. Some famous people born in the Year of the Dragon include Carole King, Abraham Lincoln, Edgar Allan Poe and Mao Tse-Tung. May the Year of the Snake bring us health, joy and prosperity.

To learn your Chinese zodiac sign, see the ZodiacHoroscope.

FUTURE CHINESE NEW YEAR DATES

Chinese YearZodiac AnimalGregorian Calendar
4698DragonFebruary 5, 2000
4699SnakeJanuary 24, 2001
4700HorseFebruary 12, 2002
4701Ram/SheepFebruary 1, 2003
4702MonkeyJanuary 22, 2004
4703RoosterFebruary 9, 2005
4704DogJanuary 29, 2006
4705BoarFebruary 18, 2007
4706RatFebruary 7, 2008
4707OxJanuary 26, 2009
4708TigerFebruary 14, 2010
4709Hare/RabbitFebruary 3, 2011

 

LION DANCE AND ENTERTAINMENT

The ceremonial Lion Danceand Fireworks are synonymous with any Chinese New Year Celebration.Fireworks were used at one time to chase away evil spirits to ensure a prosperousnew year. Nowadays, their loud noise creates a festive and joyful atmosphere.Every year, the Lion Dance is performed by several members of the New Orleans Chinese Presbyterian ChurchYouth Organization.

Tai Chi demonstrations, Chinese folk singing, kids' games as well askids' kite flying are always part of theNew Year Festival.

 

NEW YEAR TRADITIONS

The traditional Chinese greeting at the New Year festival is GONG XIFA CAI, meaning "happy and prosperous new year."

Traditional colors during Chinese New Year are REDand GOLD. Red symbolizes happiness andgold symbolizes wealth.

It is also a Chinese custom to send HappyNew Year Greeting Cards to friends and family (like the one picturebelow).

Another tradition that everyone looks forward to at the beginning ofthe New Year is the Hongbao. The Hongbao is a littlered envelope which contains cash gifts. Traditionally, all children areto receive a Hongbao as a sign of luck and happiness.

Learn more about Chinese New Year traditions and how others celebratein Scotland, SanFrancisco, HongKong and the Vancouver.

 

CANTONESE FRIED CHICKEN

One popular dish at the Festival is Cantonese fried chicken. Make sure to look for it.

CANTONESE FRIED CHICKEN
INGREDIENTSDIRECTIONS
  1. One 3 lb Chicken
  2. 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  3. 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
  4. 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  5. 1 Tablespoon Sherry
  6. 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Juice
  7. 2 Egg Whites
  8. 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  9. 4 Cups Oil For Frying
  10. Peppercorn Salt
  1. Cut chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Marinade chicken in soy sauce, sherry, and garlic juices 1 hour, turning occasionally.
  3. Remove chicken and mix it with egg whites and cornstarch.
  4. Heat oil to 375 degrees in wok. Deep fry chicken 5 minutes and lift out of strainer.
  5. Reheat oil. Deep fry again 1 minute (this makes chicken crispy). Drain.
  6. Serve with peppercorn salt.

 

THE NEW ORLEANS CHINESE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

...is celebrating its 118th year of ministry in the metropolitan NewOrleans area. The church was originally organized as a Sunday School Missionfor five young Chinese men in 1882 by Miss Lena Saunders. Over the first 50 years, the churchgrew and ministered to hundreds of Chinese immigrants, students and otherswho have come to know the Lord. Under the spiritual and financial guidanceof the local Presbytery, Women of the Church, devoted individual Presbyterians and the local Chinese people the church grew and matured.

The second 50+ years saw the church get its first full time minister, the Rev. Dayton Castleman, in 1952 as well as build its first church facility. In 1957 the church becameformally organized and added Miss Grace Su Tsing Yao as Christian Education Director. Finally in 1974 the church became self supporting.

Presently, the church ministers to a predominantly English speaking congregationwho are either American born or naturalized as well as other Americans ofvarious ethnicities while still ministering to the needs of its Chinesespeaking members. All Chinese Presbyterian Church Sunday School Classes,Worship Services, Weekly Bible Study and Vacation Bible School are presidedby its Interim Pastoral Leader, the Reverend LukeTse.

Learn more about the Presbyterian Ministry at PresbyterianChurch USA.

Ming Y. Joe, Chairman, 2000New Orleans Chinese New Year Festival and Run

CLICK HERE TO VISITOUR GENEROUS SPONSORS 

 

Technical support by Bob Whitman.HTML, graphics, and web design by JimDavis.

Pleasevisit East Jefferson's ownCommunity Website.