[WATCH] Dragons and delicacies at Cebu’s Red Lantern Festival

CEBU, Philippines – Rows of red lanterns, dancing lions and joyful cheering amongst Chinoy families filled the streets of downtown Cebu City for the Lunar New Year 2024 on Saturday, February 10.

Performers came dressed in traditional Chinese costumes, wearing “Budai” masks and carrying poles attached to miniature dragons along Magallanes Street—just right for the Year of the Wood Dragon.

The activity was part of Cebu City’s newly institutionalized Red Lantern Festival, which was first organized by the local government in January 2023.

Each of the grand performances, most especially the traditional lion and dragon dance, signifies the Chinoy community’s intention and aspiration for more goodness, success, and fortune in the world.

“These performances are not only for our entertainment but also to serve as a reminder of the shared heritage that binds us all,” Cebu City Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, said in a speech during the event.

Besides the parade and dancing, residents also got the chance to meet Cebu’s prominent Chinoy families, eat delicious “fortune snacks” like Tikoy, and witness a costume competition participated by children in cute and traditional Chinese attire.

For this year, the event’s guest of honor was Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Cebu Zhang Zhen who expressed her deepest gratitude and best wishes to the people of Cebu City for the new year.

“A great success and happiness (awaits) in the Year of the Dragon,” Zhen said. 

Watch the video of the grand spectacle for the Year of the Wood Dragon here. – Rappler.com