Montreal is preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year

This year's Lunar New Year celebrations in Montreal will be bigger and better than ever, according to Montreal New Year Festival organizer Eva YiFang Hu.

“We'll have installations around Chinatown. We're talking lanterns, light projection installations of the 12 zodiac signs. We'll have a photo booth arch, and we'll also have a wishing tree,” he told CTV News. “Everything is better, more creative and bigger than last year.”

The celebrations to welcome the Year of the Dragon begin on February 9th and continue until February 11th.

The traditional parade, lion and dragon dances are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday

Part of the festivities will take place inside the Chinese Cultural Center (1088 Clark Street) to encourage families with young children to attend.

The events are in collaboration with the Ville-Marie district and Tourism Montreal, as well as various local artists.

“We have a whole Asian community in Montreal and they all celebrate,” Hu said, noting that it's important to include all cultures under the banner of the Lunar New Year. “I've always believed that unity is strength… It was a challenge for me to bring this community together and build something bigger and stronger for years to come, to have this legacy of such an important celebration for our future generations. , the most important holiday in Asian culture.”

2024 marks the beginning of the Wood Dragon, which is expected to bring prosperity and wealth.

“This is a year of energy. It's a lucky year and everyone should benefit,” storyteller Aurora Liang told CTV News. “If, for example, there was a rabbit last year and you thought you didn't develop your full potential, now is your chance.”

Liang explains that the Year of the Dragon has historically been considered a particularly powerful and prosperous animal.

This is one of the most mystical years, because the dragon is the only zodiac that people have heard of, but never seen.

“We always see more babies born in the Year of the Dragon than any other year,” Liang said. “The dragon is a symbol of the emperor, traditionally, but also a symbol of people with a lot of strength, courage and luck.”

This year may be particularly successful for those born in the years of the Snake, Monkey and Rooster, he adds.

“Normally, everyone can feel the power of a dragon, and then use this opportunity to develop your potential,” he affirmed.

Unless you were born in one of those years?

“Be a friend!” he laughs. “The dragon is a symbol of strength, protection, and teamwork, because the dragon protects people and people must work together to make the dragon stronger. Never forget that we need teamwork to make good decisions.”

Legend

According to legend, a long time ago, the Jade Emperor prepared to choose 12 animals to be guards at the Gate of Heaven.

The sooner they arrive, the higher the rank.

The rat got up early in the morning, but on his way to the gate he came across a river.

Not knowing how to overcome the current, the horse hit the ear of the Ox, who did not resist.

When they reached the gate, he slyly ran up to the emperor's feet.

These two animals are named first and second.

Tiger and Rabbit, both runners, came third and fourth.

The Dragon was fifth and the Serpent was sixth.

The horse and the goat, who are polite and kind, were the seventh and eighth.

The monkey was a fool in the trees, but managed to finish ninth.

The last three places were given to a rooster, a dog and a pig.

These 12 animals were the guards of the Emperor's Gate of Heaven.

What is your zodiac animal?

• 
  a rat (1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020)
• 
  Ox (1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021)
• 
  Tiger (1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022)
• 
  Rabbit (1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023)
• 
  Dragon (1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024)
• 
  Snake (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)
• 
  A horse (1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)
• 
  Goat (1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)
• 
  A monkey (1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)
• 
  Rooster (1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017)
• 
  Dog (1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)
• 
  A pig (1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)