Las Vegas commemorates the Chinese New Year with an array of decadent culinary offerings, breathtaking décor and lively entertainment for visitors throughout January and February.
Remembering the significance of the sacred Spring Festival, Las Vegas will extend good fortune and prosperity to all who revel in the destination’s cultural festivities.
The annual celebratory dragon display returns for another year at The Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace. The 22-foot-long dragon is not only a great photo opportunity for visitors, but is also a traditional symbol of power, strength and good luck. The decorative display is dressed in 30,000 red and amber LED lights, flickering to give the mythical creature a vibrant look and dynamic feel.
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens celebrates the Year of the Rat with a captivating Lunar New Year display open from Saturday, Jan. 11 through Saturday, March 7. Designed to bring prosperity and good fortune to the 20,000 visitors who visit daily, the gardens radiate hues of gold and red with picture-perfect botanical creations made from flowers, seeds, silks and plants. The result of collaborative efforts between designer Ed Libby, Bellagio’s horticulture team and Feng Shui Master George Yau, the intricate creation is layered with meaningful features honoring The Year of the Rat. The centerpiece of the Conservatory is a gilded gold rat that sits on gold ingot bowls – a symbol of wealth and prosperity – atop a golden staircase. Four golden rats are seen frolicking up the staircase bringing more ingot bowls. Two grand 20-foot gold coin trees stand tall on both sides of the garden symbolizing prosperity.
To commemorate the Year of the Rat, The Venetian and The Palazzo’s horticulture team consulted a feng shui master to transform the waterfall atrium with an installation of a colossal 2,000-pound golden rodent sculpture, on display beginning Wednesday, Jan. 15. The featured sculpture stands 18 feet tall and will be surrounded by green gardens brightly blooming with red and orange bromeliads, red calandiva, golden yellow chrysanthemums and red and yellow orchids, shipped from around the country, including citrus and lucky bamboo from Florida. Additionally, nine smaller versions of the rat will be placed throughout the waterfall atrium and the resorts’ lobbies.
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MGM Grand will transform into a Lunar New Year spectacle with vibrant displays of eye-catching floral décor and playful panda bears surrounding the resort’s iconic lion. The displays will abound with over 4,000 live plants, including 1,400 yellow chrysanthemums grown specifically for MGM Grand, with each plant selected for its special meaning in Chinese culture. The resort will be adorned with yellow and red-colored flowers, bamboo for good luck and money trees offering blessings of wealth and good fortune. The displays will be open for enjoyment Wednesday, Jan. 15 through Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The Shops at Crystals will display a 25-foot-tall and 55-foot-long custom-designed Golden Dragon adorned with 28,000 LED lights through the holiday beginning Friday, Jan. 17.
On display at Wynn Las Vegas starting Wednesday, Jan. 15, will be two eight-foot golden dragons that will spread good luck to visitors outside, while inside the resort the Wynn main atrium will feature spectacular 45-foot long silk dragons hanging above 7,000 vibrant orange, yellow and red mums, begonias and calandivas. Additionally, the resort will be dotted with 60 tangerine trees honoring the traditional gifting of this fruit to others as a wish of good fortune.
Entertainment
Spreading wishes of prosperity throughout the valley, CNY in the Desert™ will host celebrations in Downtown Las Vegas. The parade, now in its ninth year and sponsored again by the Vegas Golden Knights (VGK) for 2020, will feature Chance, the Knights’ mascot, Knight Line, the team’s drumline, and other members of the VGK cast, as well as gorgeous floats, elaborate costumes and dragons is quickly becoming a Las Vegas tradition that entertains thousands who come to watch. The ninth annual Las Vegas Spring Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 9:30 a.m., beginning at the intersection of Utah Street and Main Street and will march through the heart of downtown, followed by a parade after-party until 2 p.m. The family-friendly celebration will include lion dances, a youth hockey clinic by the Vegas Golden Knights, martial arts demonstrations, traditional Chinese music performances and folk dances.
The Venetian and The Palazzo will offer a variety of entertainment, events and special offers in honor of Lunar New Year, including a Chinese fan dance at noon on Saturday, Jan. 25, on the second level of the Grand Canal Shoppes, followed by the annual eye-dotting ceremony and ceremonial lion dance at 3 p.m. in The Venetian porte cochère. Later that night, Grand Canal Shoppes will host the official Las Vegas opening ceremonies and ribbon cutting for the city’s ninth annual CNY in the Desert™ celebration. The event will be held on the second-level North Canal Turnaround at 6 p.m. followed by a traditional lion blessing and dance, cultural performances the Shirley Chen Dance Troupe, and a special appearance by the Shoppes’ Love Vespa couple Vespacho and Vespalina. From Thursday, Jan. 23 – Sunday, Jan. 26, visitors can also enjoy four days of live entertainment including the all-new Wishing Tree installation located in the heart of the Shoppes in the Palazzo tower, where more than 200 red envelopes filled with special prizes, from gift cards to chocolate gold coins and more, will be given out at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily except Thursday and Friday, which will be at 5 p.m. Additional activities include a lion dance at The Sky Garden at 6 p.m. nightly; a Chinese drummer parade at 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday featuring 10 live drummers, a spectacular lion dance performance, and a Chinese fan dance; and Joey Yung in concert at The Palazzo Ballroom, Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 26, at 6 p.m. Grand Canal Shoppes will offer a special gift with purchase, Friday, Jan. 17 through Saturday, Feb. 1 from noon to 6 p.m. Guests who spend $350 at stores and restaurants may receive a $50 dining gift card at select restaurants by visiting the pop-up Grand Canal Shoppes concierge location.
Fashion Show Las Vegas will kick off the festivities in The Great Hall on Saturday, Jan. 25 with its “Yoga for Locals” event. Guests will be able to enjoy a special yoga experience and welcome in a year filled with good luck, happiness, self-care, and true alignment. On Sunday, Jan. 26, Fashion Show Las Vegas also will host the ultimate Chinese New Year celebration with a variety of cultural performances designed by Entertainment Plus Productions. The two-hour spectacle will feature a customary lion and dragon dance on stilts, followed by a selection of cultural dances and a one-of-a-kind lantern light show. In addition, several pop-up lantern ceremonies at surprise locations throughout the venue will be available during the 15-day celebration.
In celebration of the Lunar New Year, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will host a dragon and lion dance, beginning at the Las Vegas Boulevard entrance on the first floor of the Boulevard Tower Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.
A dramatic and mystical traditional Chinese dragon dance symbolizing the spread of good luck and prosperity will take place at the Wynn Las Vegas, on Saturday, Jan. 25. Also, select retail outlets in Wynn and Encore Esplanades and Wynn Plaza will be offering exclusive apparel, accessories, in-store events or gifts with purchase in celebration of Chinese New Year.
Celebrating Chinese New Year from Saturday, Jan. 25 through Saturday, Feb. 8, Rampart Casino will celebrate the Year of the Rat with casino games and events, beginning with a traditional lion dance on Saturday, Jan. 25. Additional festivities include a bamboo plant giveaway on Monday, Jan. 27; commemorative Year of the Rat $5 chips available from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.; and $5,000 red envelope table games drum giveaway on Monday, Feb. 4.
Honoring Chinese tradition, Caesars Entertainment resorts will host nine lively lion dances and feature elaborate decorations in the lobby and common areas including hanging lanterns, banners, firecrackers and floral arrangements, to bring good luck across Las Vegas. At each of the nine resorts, the lion dance performances will start at the porte cochère and make their way through the casino beginning Saturday, Jan. 25 until Wednesday, Feb. 5. On Saturday, Jan. 25, participating resorts include Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino (noon), Paris Las Vegas (1 p.m.), Bally’s Las Vegas (2 p.m.) and Caesars Palace (5 p.m.), followed by Harrah’s Las Vegas (2 p.m.), The LINQ Hotel + Experience (3 p.m.), Flamingo Las Vegas (3:45 p.m.) and The Cromwell ( 5 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino (6:30 p.m.) on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Dynamic and colorful dragon and lion dances will commemorate the Year of the Rat at MGM Grand Las Vegas Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., Park MGM Saturday, Jan. 25 at 5 p.m., ARIA Resort & Casino Sunday, Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. and Bellagio Hotel & Casino Monday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m., all performed by Yau Kung Moon in a traditional Southern Shaolin Kung Fu system with a modern flair. Known for its trademark gold uniforms and innovative routines, Yau Kung Moon has been recognized internationally for being the first U.S. team to compete in the 1990 Invitational World Lion Dance Festival in Malaysia.
Tropicana Las Vegas will celebrate Chinese New Year and ring in the Year of the Rat with a live authentic lion and dragon dance, held on the casino floor on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 5 p.m.
On Sunday, Jan. 26, The Shops at Crystals will host the country’s largest Yusheng noodle toss at 11 a.m., where store managers will gather and toss noodles in unison as a symbol of prosperity and luck in the New Year. Immediately following the toss at 12:30 p.m., guests can enjoy a traditional Lion Dance performance by World Dance Champions and America’s Got Talent finalists Yau Kung Moon Martial Arts Studio.
For the 24th consecutive year, The Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace will welcome students from the Meadows School, who will perform the traditional dragon parade throughout The Shops on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The cast of singers and dancers includes 120 Meadows students – 60 from kindergarten and 60 from fifth grade.
This Chinese New Year, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters will offer an 8% discount in celebration of the Year of the Rat. Decorated in red and gold, Papillion helicopters will surround patrons with good luck and fortune. The discount will be applied to bookings made directly on the Papillon site now through Feb. 8, 2020 for travel between Jan. 22, 2020 to Feb. 8, 2020.
Cuisine
Patrons can indulge at China Poblano by José Andrés at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, with a special menu available Monday, Jan. 20 through Sunday, Feb. 2. Specialty dishes include “Secret Garden” with black sesame fried tofu, seasonal greens, pear, almond and sesame dressing; “Dragon’s Pearl” with scallop and pork dumpling wrapped in daikon; and more. The Cosmopolitan’s luxury Cantonese restaurant, Red Plate will be open Saturday, Jan. 25 through Wednesday, Jan. 29 in honor of Chinese New Year, with special operating hours for lunch (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., daily) and dinner (5:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., daily).
In honor of the Year of the Rat, Caesars Palace will delight guests for the Chinese New Year holiday with a selection of festive dishes and fresh seafood at multiple restaurants, including Beijing Noodle No. 9, MR CHOW and the award-winning Bacchanal Buffet.
Guests will be treated to a special menu commemorating the Year of the Rat at Mott 32, from Friday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Feb. 2, and Hong Kong Café, beginning in early January, at The Venetian.
The beloved Chinese New Year Dim Sum Brunch will return to Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas, the only Chinese restaurant in North America that holds a Forbes Five-Star rating. With a masterful mix of Cantonese, Shanghai and Szechuan flavors, guests can indulge in a selection of dishes butlered tableside, while others are presented on an extravagant buffet and carving station.
Due to popular demand, weekend festivities for CNY in the Desert™ will conclude with a traditional nine-course family-style dinner at Ping Pang Pong restaurant located inside of the Gold Coast Hotel at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26.
Select MGM Resorts International restaurants will honor the Year of the Rat with festive menus and specials. Highlights include Ginger Scallion Lobster Noodles at Lemongrass at ARIA Resort & Casino, Fresh Abalone with Sea Cucumber at Blossom at ARIA Resort & Casino, Japanese Uni Sashimi at Morimoto Las Vegas at MGM Grand, and Roasted Duck at Avenue Café at MGM Grand.
