In Chinese culture, 2017 is the Year of the Rooster.
To celebrate, the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center is having its annual Lunar New Year Celebration at the Tucson Mall on Saturday.
This is the first time the event will be held at the mall, and the hope is to expose more people to Chinese culture and inspire them to continue learning about it after the event, said Susan Chan, executive director of the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center.
The event, normally held at the cultural center at 1288 W. River Road, usually draws between 2,000 and 5,000 people in four hours. This year, Chan hopes to reach 5,000 during the 10-hour celebration.
Activities include free dance, music and martial arts performances and crafts for children.
An Asian market will be set up with an assortment of Chinese items such as dresses, umbrellas, kites, calligraphy items and more.
Since it is the Year of the Rooster, there will be a lot of rooster items for sale, Chan said. Roosters galore. “They’ll be very hot,” Chan said.
