Charlottetown's Asian community celebrates the Year of the Rabbit

As Confederation Court Mall's food court was transformed into a cultural stage, members of Charlottetown's Asian communitygathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Sunday marks the Year of the Rabbit.

Performers danced to traditional music for the public on Saturday, with some wearing traditional clothing from countries where they were born.

The event was put on by Flourish, a development company. Company presidentRobert Chang wanted to have a celebration that encompassed many cultures.

"From India, Vietnam, we want to celebrate together," he said. "Chinese and South Korea, they all celebrate Chinese New Year."

He held smaller events in past years at his office. They got permission from the mall this year for a bigger event.

WATCH / Charlottetown Asian community celebrates LunarNew Year

Charlottetown Asian community celebrates Lunar New Year

2 years ago

Duration 1:43

Drumming, dancing and singing were all a part of a celebration held at Confederation Court Mall Saturday to help usher in the Year of the Rabbit.

"The past three years with COVID [caused] nobody to celebrate together, but today it's now open, so we wanted to have much more of the Chinese community celebrate together," Chang said.

Jen Du, Flourish's general manager, was part of a dance group.

"The performance here will make everybody thinkeverybody is part of the community," Du said. "We want to do something here and we get so much support from different parties."

She said Prince Edward Island is like her second home. Du is far from her first home, China, so being able to celebrate her culture and to pass it on is vital to her.

"It's important to have a community here, to make them feel like, 'Oh, this is the place,'" she said.

There was a pot luck meal. Red envelopes containing money were given away as part of the tradition tousher in a successful year.