Vancouver celebrates Lunar New Year

Thousands of people joined in Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in downtown Vancouver on Sunday.

The annual parade through Vancouver's Chinatown included all the usual festivities — drums, cymbals, firecrackers and a 100-metre-long Chinese-style dragon.

But this year's parade also reflected the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The crowd of people watching the parade wore red for Chinese New Year and to support Canada's Olympic athletes. And those participating in the parade handed out lucky red envelopes while wearing red Olympic mittens and hockey jerseys.

Spectator Adrian Lee said the melding of the events is typical of Vancouver.

"That's the great thing about Vancouver — you can have your sushi in the morning and your Russian food in the evening. It's so diverse here."

The Lunar New Year is celebrating the Year of the Tiger.

Albert Fok, president of the Chinatown Business Improvement Association, said there is a lot to look forward to this year.

"Now that Vancouver itself is on the map, literally, people will visit Vancouver and they will bring prosperity to revitalize the economy and Canada as a whole," Fok said.

Tradition says that performing the Dragon Dance on Chinese New Year ensures favourable weather for the rest of the year.

Olympic organizers say they hope that means snow instead of rain for the Winter Olympics.