
CAAOC 2009 Chinese New Year Celebration
Among the different local celebrations for Chinese New Year, the best known is probably the one organized by CAAOC (American Chinese Association of Charlotte). On 15th year of organizing the celebration, its 2009 party was held on Jan 31 at Asian Center on Scaleybark Road. Location of the party had changed several times during the years but the format had remained similar to the organized celebrations in China. In the past CAAOC’s celebration had been a free event centered about a show of Chinese performing art. This year a sit down dinner was added to the celebration, a much welcomed enhancement. The $10 pp admission included dinner and show, pre-dinner activities such as raffle ticket sale and kid’s activities and after-show Karaoke, dance and movie. During dinner and show, raffle tickets were drawn and called out to lucky winners of various prizes including $25 Food Lion gift cards donated by Food Lion, and young kids were each given a $1 worth red bag.
This year’s event attracted more people than the venue could comfortably accommodate and a number of later comers were seated without tables. But after the initial hurly-burly, dinner was served; dishes were brought out to the tables and boxed dinner delivered to attendees not sitting at a table. Shortly after, the show opened with a Dragon Dance. In spite of the hubbub and crowdedness, the annual celebration, as usual, brought the Chinese community together over a common heritage and lent wonderful opportunity of cultural sharing to larger community of the city. And CAAOC, its volunteer and sponsors duly received warm hands of appreciation from the crowd.

My family of three at the celebration

Dragon dance

American Chinese Associates from Bank of America modeling Vietnamese Fashion

Kids parading in Chinese Ethnic Costume

Mongolian dance

Special guests performing Belly dance

Young musician and their principle from Violin Academy

Indian dance invited to the celebration
Filed under: All things China, People,Nature&Event | Tagged: Chinese New Year |
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