When you choose to celebrate Lunar New Year at Lan Su, you’re doing more than just having a fun family outing. You can inspire your children to learn about other cultures, and give them the opportunity to do it in fun and engaging ways. Plus, when we learn by doing, we’re more likely to remember!

Here are seven reasons to bring the whole family to Lan Su’s Lantern Viewing Evenings this year:

Inspire awe with larger-than-life lanterns

As humans, we tend to love things that are either really BIG or really small. Lan Su’s Lantern Viewing Evenings give your little ones the chance to explore a space where beautifully lit up sculptures tower above them. From mythical creatures like soaring dragons to everyday scenes like fish and flowers, your kids will be drawn to these art pieces like moths to light!

Experience glowing performances and excitement

Note: Applies only to Dragon + Light Show Nights. The Music + Lantern Viewing Nights do not include the dragon dance procession or projection-mapped light show.

“12 Zodiac Animals” immersive audiovisual experience

This is a brand new aspect of this year’s Lantern Viewing Evenings! We’ve partnered with local fabrication and projection-mapping artist, Noble Robot, to bring you an immersive audiovisual experience you won’t find anywhere else. Visitors will learn the legend of The Great Race, or how the zodiac animals came to be what they are. The show features original animations and will be narrated in English and Mandarin Chinese. Additional ambient lighting will illuminate Lan Su architecture, along with wooden light fixtures featuring traditional Lunar New Year greetings.

Illuminated dragon dance (舞龍) procession

This one brings the magic right to you! In between dramatic performances on the Terrace, the illuminated dragon winds its way through the garden pathways chasing the glowing pearl. Stick around after for your chance to capture a photo with the dragon and performers! This year’s dragon dance processions are brought to you by the talented team from Portland Lee’s Association.

Did you know? This tradition dates back to the Han dynasty and is believed to chase away evil spirits and welcome prosperous times.

Play fun and challenging games

Touhu (投壺)

What did people do for entertainment before the internet—before even TV and movies? They played real-life games, of course!

Come try your hand at the ancient game of Touhu (投壺), a.k.a Chinese Pitch-pot. Players throw arrows or sticks from a set distance into a large, sometimes ornate, canister. Trust us, it’s way harder than it seems!

Did you know? Touhu was a popular game among the Han Chinese from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 to 481 BCE) to the end of the Qing dynasty (19th century). It was also played in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Chopsticks Challenge

Have you ever gotten Chinese food and wished you knew how to handle chopsticks well enough to skip the fork? Now’s your chance to learn in a fun, low-pressure environment! Simply grab a pair of chopsticks you like—we even have child size—and try to move the items from the Eight Treasures tray into your bowl.

Did you know? Chopsticks are called kuaizi (筷子) in Chinese. Chinese people have been using kuaizi as one of the main pieces of tableware for more than 3,000 years.

Gain some great dad jokes

Once you’ve mastered your chopsticks technique, it’s time to flex your brain! Head over to the Scholar’s Study for witty lantern riddles (猜燈謎) your family can try to solve together. The answers may be silly, but you’ll gain a whole bunch of great new dad jokes participating in this Lantern Festival (元宵節, Yuánxiāo Jié) tradition.

Here’s a little taste:

“It has a head, but no neck shows,

Its body cold, as water flows.

With wings that never let it fly,

No legs, yet it still glides by.”

And here’s our shortened dad joke version: What has wings but can’t fly and legs but can’t walk?

(Answer: It’s a fish!)

Learn cultural traditions that broaden your worldview

As you explore the activities throughout the garden, be sure to also notice the auspicious symbols adorning every space—even the windows.

If you come across an upside-down character 福 (fú), that’s not a mistake! Chinese language is famous for playing on words that sound alike, and this is one example. By a clever twist of the phrase “福倒了” (fú dào le), meaning “福 is upside down,” you get “福到了” (fú dào le), or “good fortune has arrived.” Hanging it this way will help invite prosperity into your home or space.

Before you go, be sure to stop into the Garden Shop for a little something to bring all that great learning and luck into the Year of the Horse with you. From modern horse-themed accessories to traditional lucky red envelopes, you’re sure to find something to treasure.

Support a local nonprofit helping to share and preserve culture

If all that fun wasn’t enough, you can feel good knowing that your visit also supports Lan Su Chinese Garden’s role as a year-round center of cultural exploration for the entire community. At a time when our differences are sometimes being considered a negative, we are proud and grateful to serve as a positive platform for the AANHPI community. We thank you for being part of that effort with us.

Bonus: There’s free parking!

Take advantage of free parking (first come, first served) at our fenced-in lot right next to the garden! That’s one less expense to worry about. Set your GPS for 424 NW Third Avenue, and you’re on your way.

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Plan Your Visit Now

Choose Dragon + Light Show Nights (Feb. 17 – March 1) for a lively atmosphere, or Music + Lantern Viewing Nights (March 4, 6-8) if you prefer a more serene environment. We’re also offering a Sensory-Friendly Night on March 5 with no performances, but the addition of special accommodations like noise-cancelling headphones and fidget tools.

No matter which you choose, these evenings offer a beautiful, illuminated garden experience celebrating that both kids and grown-ups alike can enjoy!