Monday, February 8, 2016

Chinese New Year 2016 Las Vegas Events & Dragon Ceremonies Guide - Year of the Monkey (Gong Xi Fa Cai)

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Vegas is always full of fun celebrations for the New Year. One of my favorites with the kids is visiting the Bellagio Gardens. It has become our annual tradition. If you haven't been, check it out - they are decked out for the Year of the Monkey.
This is an easy FREEBIE as there is no cost to enter the gardens.

Chinese New Year 2015, the Year of the Monkey, falls on February 8th. The celebrations usually last about 15 days. 

This is your year if you were born in 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
People born during the Year of the Monkey (a symbol of intelligence, wittiness, and magnetic personality) are wise, intelligent, confident, charismatic, loyal, inventive, cheerful, clever and energetic.

If you aren't sure what year you were born or the kiddos - you can check it out here!

Freebies:
Panda Express: FREE Gold Bar (Chicken Egg Roll) - valid 2/8 only. No purchase necessary. You must show the coupon though on your phone or print it out.

Activities:
Bellagio: Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens invites guests to celebrate the Year of the Monkey during Chinese New Year with a vibrant display through March 12, 2016.

Featuring a garden representative of monkeys and their natural habitat, Bellagio's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, displays a family of 12 Macaque monkeys atop a 14-foot mountain reaching the peaches descending from the sky.

On entering the Conservatory, one will notice six colorful Chinese children topiaries play on each side of the moon gate bridge above a tranquil pond that holds 21,000 gallons of water and filled with live Koi fish. There are also custom lantern chandeliers displayed overhead with beautiful flowers below.

The North Garden features a 3,000 pound, 18-foot tall Chinese money tree made of 384 sparkling gold coins. At the base of the tree is four-foot-tall Ingot fountains and I-Ching coins.

The center-piece of the South Garden, is a 12-foot lantern, accompanied by two illuminated. wooden lanterns. At the base of each lantern you will also find I-Ching coins and Ingot fountains.

Live music performances by the Las Vegas-based Beijing Trio will take place in the South Garden from 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. nightly.

On view: January 8th - March 12th, 2016
Hours: Open 7 days a week, 24 hours.


~ The Venetian and The Palazzo: I love these displays!!! The Venetian and The Palazzo are adorned throughout the resorts. Guests will find 78 handcrafted monkeys, each with a unique, hand-painted face.

The main feature on display at The Venetian and Palazzo's Waterfall Atrium and Gardens is a 5-foot tall, 300-pound Monkey King seated at the base of the 38-foot-tall wishing tree with a chest plate made up of more than 8,000 hand-sewn gold coins and draped in Swarovski crystals. Playing among the wishing tree's 8,000 branches of golden foliage are 28 mischievous monkeys. There are also eight giant, hand-painted peaches covered in Swarovski crystals. The monkeys that are extending a peach are wishing guests a long life.


Suspended from the Atrium ceilings are six-feet-tall hand-loomed brocade silk and jade gold and red lanterns and sitting among the mountain of the main art installation are Fifty-eight traditional I Ching coins, representing fortune and wealth. Guests will also find I Ching coins around the Lalique statues of The Palazzo lobby.

Other planned activities will include a ceremonial dragon and lion dance, complete with firecrackers and eye painting ceremony. The dance will begin at The Venetian's lavish Porte Cochere, making its way through The Venetian Casino, into The Palazzo Waterfall Atrium, through The Palazzo Casino and end in the upper Palazzo Porte Cochere. The colorful spectacle will feature a parade of dancers and musicians dressed in elaborate costumes playing authentic music.

Date/Time: February 8 at 3 p.m.

~ Wynn Las Vegas and Encore: Wynn Las Vegas and Encore welcome guests with sculptures symbolizing the year of the Monkey as you enter the property in the Wynn atrium and in front of the High Limits area at Encore.

Celebrate The Year of the Monkey at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore with a traditional lion and dragon dance ceremony starting at South Valet entrance at Wynn and and concluding at the Encore front desk. Guests can participate in the ceremony and follow the 90-foot-long dragon, and eight lions as they parade through Wynn and Encore to live music, firecrackers and special acrobatic shows performed by the lions.

Wynn's atrium will feature Chinese-inspired floral and sculpture displays, including more than 8,000 red and yellow chrysanthemums, and more than 100 fruiting tangerine trees, which are symbols of good luck in the Chinese culture, will be on display throughout the resorts.

~ Cosmopolitan: Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will hold the traditional 'Dotting of the Eyes' ceremony.

Location: The resort's entrance at the East Side entrance off Las Vegas Boulevard.

During the ceremony around 30 performers will 'awaken' a dragon and lions by dotting their eyes with red paint. Once awakened, the twisting and turning dragon will lead a parade of lions and dancers throughout the casino floor.

Also in honor of Chinese New Year, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas welcomes "Lucky Cat". A 9-foot-tall interactive art exhibit, "Lucky Cat" is based on the fabled Japanese cultural icon of good fortune, maneki-neko. Designed to reward the curiosity of those who stop and explore, "Lucky Cat" dispenses a fortune card to all who place their hand on its paw. For a select few, this fortune will function as a golden ticket to a variety of experiences at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Hours of Operation: Daily 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM

~ Aria: In honor of the Year of the Monkey, the main lobby at ARIA Hotel and Casino will delight visitors with celebratory decorations. Starting from Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, upon entry to the main lobby, guests will be greeted by a 229-foot dragon weaving its way through clusters of Chinese lanterns and around the money tree made up of 88 golden coins. Throughout the resort, guests also will encounter eight lions resembling attire worn during traditional dragon and lion dance on February 8.

Upon check-in guests will be greeted by 3 Chinese Deities: Fuk, Luk and Sau, while standing on a platform behind ARIA's front desk. The deities are about five feet tall each and personify the important aspirations of mankind: happiness, wealth and longevity

~ LINQ: Celebrate the Year of the Monkey with a series of events at The LINQ Promenade during the 5th Annual Chinese New Year in the Desert from Feb. 8 to 14, 2016.

Chinese New Year in the Desert will host a series of Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean cultural celebrations throughout The LINQ Promenade. All events are complimentary and open to the public.

Date/Time: February 8 - February 12, 2016; 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Date/Time: February 13 - February 14, 2016; 1:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: The LINQ Promenade just behind the High Roller.

Each day, the festival will feature a live dragon and lion dance performances by Lohan School of Shaolin held nightly at 7 p.m., except on February 14th when it will be held at 2:30p.m.

Also expect an eye painting ceremony, International Vendor Village with Asian food and arts and crafts. Live entertainment will include many cultural presentations from various Asian entertainers on The LINQ Promenade Stage.

For a detailed entertainment schedule go to www.cnyinthedesert.com. All entertainment is FREE and open to the public.

~ The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace - Here you will find a 22-foot-long, 6-foot wide and 12-foot-high illuminated dragon on display throughout the Chinese New Year celebratory season. A traditional symbol of power and good luck, the massive 950 lbs steel-framed dragon is covered in 30,000 flickering red and amber LED lights. The dragon can be seen at the Fortuna Terrace and goes on display January 5 throughout the Chinese New Year celebratory season.

Date: February 8th
To celebrate Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Monkey, The Meadows School will perform the traditional dragon parade throughout The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The cast of singers and dancers includes 120 Meadows students – 60 from kindergarten and 60 from fifth grade. Special guest Mayor Carolyn Goodman will be on hand at the parade.The parade will originate on the Fortuna Terrace near the giant, illuminated Chinese Dragon.

~ Las Vegas Spring Festival Parade - To commemorate the rich history and celebrate the most important holiday of the Asian community, Las Vegas Spring Festival Parade is meant to bring the community together and showcase the most extravagant and colorful floats.

The Las Vegas Spring Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, February 13, 2016 at 11am. The Parade route will start at the intersection of Fremont and 11th Street and will end at the entrance of the Downtown Container Park, on Fremont and 7th Street. Immediately after the Parade, there will be a Parade after Party at the Container Park from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m.

~ Las Vegas Chinatown Plaza, 4255 Spring Mountain Road. Las Vegas

Come celebrate Chinese New Year at the largest and most exciting New Year Celebration destination in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Chinatown Plaza. Sample the biggest authentic Asian food gathering in Vegas. Everything from Canton, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Japanese, Hong Kong, Hawaiian cuisine, you name it, it will be on display.

Performances: Lion Dance, Dragon Dance, Chinese Acrobat, Chinese Martial Arts, Japanese Taiko Drums, Japanese Dance, Chinese Folk Dance, Polynesian Dance, Korean Dance and Vietnamese Dance.

Other activities: Chinese Arts & Crafts, Calligrapher, Chinese Fortune teller and Lots of vendors.

Date: February 21, 2016
Time: Celebration starts at 10:00am - 5:00pm
Cost of admission will be $3.00 for adults and $1 for Children ages 6-12. Children 5 and under are free.

Chinatown is located on Spring Mountain Road and Valley View Blvd. From the Vegas Strip, board Route 203 westbound on Spring Mountain Road alongside Fashion Show Mall.

Our Quick Guide to the Dragon and Lion Dance Ceremonies:
ARIA: Feb. 8th at 3:00 p.m. - Main porte cochere/valet and through the casino
The Venetian & The Palazzo: Feb. 8th at 3pm - The Venetian porte cochere and
through the casino to The Palazzo
M Resort Spa Casino: Feb. 8th at 5 p.m. Beginning and ending in the hotel lobby
Monte Carlo: Feb. 8th 6 p.m.
Palace Station: Feb. 8th 7 p.m.
The LINQ Promenade: Feb 8th - 13th at 7:00 p.m *Lions, dragon and martial artists
The Shops at Crystals: Feb 9th at 1:00 p.m. Entrance near Todd English P.U.B.
MGM Grand: Feb. 9th at 3 p.m - Main lobby and through the casino
Bellagio: Feb. 10th 6:30 p.m. - Main porte cochere and through the casino
Mandalay Bay: Feb 10th at 7:45 p.m.
Caesars Palace: Feb 12th from 5 p.m. - Caesars' Main Entrance
Hard Rock Hotel: Feb. 12th at 5 p.m. - beginning and ending in the hotel lobby
Wynn Las Vegas: Feb 12th at 6 p.m.- starting at South Valet entrance at Wynn
The Linq Hotel: Feb 12th at 8 p.m. - The LINQ Hotel LobbyThe Cromwell: Feb 12th at 9 p.m.
Planet Hollywood: Feb 13th at 12 p.m.- through casino floor
Treasure Island: Feb 13th at 12:00 p.m.
Downtown Vegas: Feb 13th at 11 a.m.  - Starting at the intersection of Fremont and 11th Street, ending at entrance of Downtown Container Park
Paris Las Vegas: Feb 13th at 1 p.m. - Paris Hotel Lobby
Bally's Las Vegas: Feb 13th at 2 p.m. - Bally's North Entrance
Harrah's Las Vegas: Feb 13th at 5 p.m. - Harrah's Hotel Lobby
Flamingo: Feb 13th at 6 p.m. - Flamingo's South West Entrance
The LINQ Promenade: Feb 14th at 2:30 p.m  - The LINQ Promenade
Silverton: Feb 15th at 6 p.m.
City Hall: Feb 17th at 9 a.m.
Rio All-Suite: Feb 17th at 7 p.m. - Rio's Hotel Lobby
Gold Coast: Feb 18th at 6 p.m - on the casino floor.
Suncoast: Feb 19th at 6 p.m.
Westgate: Feb 20th at 6 p.m.
Chinatown Festival: Feb 21st from 10:00am - 5:00pm - Lion / Dragon Dance & Martial Arts(Lohan School of Shaolin)

*If you know of any other activities or celebrations, please send us an email - myvegasmommy@gmail.com

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