Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, takes over Las Vegas every year, offering traditional celebrations, special cuisine and more. Here are just a few ways to celebrate 2015, the Year of the Goat:
Plenty of resorts will be hosting a traditional dragon dance to kick off Chinese New Year, including: Venetian (February 19, 3 p.m., 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-414-1000); Bellagio (February 19, 5 p.m., 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-693-7111); M Resort (February 19, 6 p.m., 12300 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-797-1000); MGM Grand (February 20, 1 p.m., 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-891-1111); Aria (February 21, 6:30 p.m., 3730 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-590-7757); and Cosmopolitan (February 22, 2 p.m., 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-698-7000). Other dragon dance destinations include The Forum Shops at Caesars (February 19, 10 a.m., 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-893-4800) and Lucky Foo’s Restaurant & Bar (February 19, 2 p.m., 8955 S. Eastern Ave., 702-650-0669).
Lion dancers perform outside the Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant, 3505 S. Valley View Blvd. Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014. The traditional ceremony, performed by the Lohan School of Shaolin, was staged to drive out any evil spirits from the business.
Beautiful, elaborate decorations celebrating the Year of the Goat can be seen at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens through March 15; in the main lobby at Aria; on the first floor at The Shops at Crystals; at the Palazzo Waterfall Atrium; and at The Forum Shops at Caesars.
China Poblano offers a festive menu and specialty cocktails from February 19 through March 5, including wok-roasted Manila clams with Chinese sausage, pickled chili and black bean sauce; crispy radish cake with XO sauce; and mapo tofu with steamed oat noodles. Cosmopolitan, 702-698-7900.
DB Brasserie is offering a limited-time selection of family-style dishes for Chinese New Year available February 19-22, including half suckling pig for four with Brussels sprouts, gala apples, fingerling potatoes and mustard pork jus ($145); and whole roasted duck for two with clementines, Chinese long beans, braised daikon radish and Sichuan pepper jus ($135). Venetian, 702-430-1235.
Fat Choy is celebrating with a special five-course dinner event on March 1. The price is $38.88, reservations are required, and the menu includes hamachi and pomelo salad, lobster dumplings, and longevity noodles with braised beef short rib, peppers, onions and bean sprouts. 595 E. Sahara Ave., 702-794-3464.
