Vietnamese Lunar New Year - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Vietnamese Lunar New Year

By Natalie Zarowny
nzarowny@cbs4qc.com

Sunday is Chinese New Year, and also Vietnamese New Year, commonly known as Tet.

At the Col Ballroom in Davenport, folks gathered to celebrate.

An important part of Tet is honoring ancestors and elders.

Then elders give out lucky money in red envelopes to children.

Finally, there's a dragon dance to ward off evil spirits in the new year.

Organizers said it's important to celebrate this Vietnamese holiday.

"We try to do this celebration so maintain our culture and the people have an opportunity to come and see each other," said Tuyen Nguyen, the event's organizer.

Starting today, it's the year of the snake based on the Chinese lunar calendar.