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UPDATED: Las Vegas Celebrates Chinese New Year with Special Entertainment, Decor and Culinary Offerings to Usher in the Year of the Dog

Release Date: 24 Jan 2018   |   Las Vegas
Chinese New Year at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Editor's note: New images added

LAS VEGAS -- 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 Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) continues to aggressively promote Las Vegas as the premier tourism destination in the world and has increased efforts directed toward the Chinese travel industry to promote the Entertainment and Meetings Capital of the World. Visitation from China has steadily increased over the past several years including a nearly 13 percent jump in 2016. China recorded the most visitors in history with more than 233,000 guests traveling to Las Vegas. December 2, 2017 marked the one-year anniversary of Hainan Airlines' inaugural nonstop flight from Beijing Capital to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. This historic route connects mainland China to Las Vegas and introduces the destination to millions of prospective visitors. The service provides additional convenience and accessibility for Chinese guests for the holiday and throughout the year.

Décor

Upon arrival, guests of Wynn Las Vegas will be greeted by three, nine-foot-high golden dog sculptures to honor the Year of the Dog. More than 7,000 vibrant begonias, mums and calandiva flowers adorn the Wynn and Encore atriums to wish celebrators a healthy and prosperous New Year.

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 thousands of LED lights, flickering to give the mythical creature a vibrant look and dynamic feel.

Following a ceremonial ribbon cutting, the world’s tallest observation wheel, The High Roller at The LINQ, will be illuminated in red and gold to mark the beginning of Chinese New Year, Friday, Feb.16. The famous Las Vegas skyline landmark will serve as the backdrop to nightly dance performances on the promenade’s fountain stage as well as exciting prize drawings. A full schedule of events can be found here.

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens celebrates the Year of the Dog with a vibrant floral display through the beginning of March.The eye-catching spectacle showcases an abundance of colorful lanterns, thousands of I-Ching coins and flowing fountains.

To commemorate the Year of the Dog, the eleventh position in the Chinese zodiac, The Venetian and The Palazzo’s horticulture team consulted a fengshui master to create Vincenzo Li, a 16-foot Chinese Shar-Pei installation that symbolizes good fortune and protection.

The main lobby of ARIA Resort and Casino will be adorned in celebratory décor to honor the beginning of the Lunar New Year starting Friday, Feb. 9. A remarkable 196-foot dragon will hang from the lobby’s ceiling, weaving its way through a spectacular money tree made up of golden coins, representing wealth and luck.

Entertainment

Fashion Show will host the 7th Annual CNY in the Desert™ Opening Ceremony and ring in the Year of the Dog with a special ribbon cutting and dinner on Friday, February 16. To commemorate Chinese New Year, guests are invited to partake on a journey to China and experience cultural performances by the Tianjin Dance and Acrobatic Theater Company as they take on the runway. Guests will be able to enjoy a live authentic dragon dance and eye painting ceremony by Las Vegas Lohan School of Shaolin, followed by a ceremonial blessing of the department stores where team members will feed the dragon red envelopes to bring good luck for the year. Following the ceremony, guests also have the option to enjoy a special Lunar New Year family-style dinner catered by Kona Grill and cocktails sponsored by Remy Martin.

Spreading wishes of prosperity throughout the valley, CNY in the Desert™ will also host celebrations in Downtown Las Vegas. The Sixth Annual Las Vegas Spring Festival Parade will march through the heart of downtown, beginning at 11th Street and Fremont, Saturday, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. followed by a Parade-After-Party. With a wide array of restaurants, galleries and a playground, Downtown Container Park also invites visitors to celebrate with community cultural performances and a showcase of local school dance teams. .

The waterfall inside the Grand Canal Shoppes inside The Venetian and The Palazzo will set the stage for a traditional Chinese fan dance, as performers distribute more than 250 red envelopes filled with special gifts to guests on Friday, Feb. 16. From gift cards to chocolate gold coins, each envelope contains special offers available at participating Grand Canal Shoppes stores and restaurants.

A festive parade will flood the streets of Downtown Summerlin to honor the Lunar New Year, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. An oversized decorative Chinese dragon will captivate shoppers and diners at the vibrant outdoor mall, as it parades through the crowds with graceful percussionists and traditional fan dancers,creating an over-the-top celebration for all to enjoy.

For the first time, China Lights cultural festival makes its way to Las Vegas, painting the sky in hundreds of breathtaking illuminated lanterns at Craig Ranch Regional Park until Feb. 25. The month-long exhibit features nightly stage performances, Asian and American food offerings and more than 40 artistic displays made by Chinese artisans.

Honoring Chinese tradition, Caesars Entertainment resorts will host 13 lively lion dances to bring good luck across Las Vegas. At each of the nine resorts, the lion dances will start at the porte cochère and make their way through the casino, Feb. 16-28. Participating resorts include The Cromwell, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, The LINQ Hotel & Casino, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Paris Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and Caesars Palace.

Cuisine

Patrons can indulge at China Poblano by José Andrés at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, with a 15-day celebratory menu beginning Feb. 16. Specialty dishes include “The Chicken or the Egg,” “The Dragon’s Pearl” and a variety of significant Chinese fares. The dining hotspot will also offer a six-course tasting menu, for those who wish to indulge in a bit of everything.

Hakkasan Las Vegas Restaurant will bring loved ones together to honor the Year of the Dog with a family-style dinner menu. Upon arrival, guests will receive a wishing ribbon before experiencing authentic Chinese cuisine such as crispy scallops in sweet plum sauce and Rhug estate lamb in seaweed soy.

Chef Ming Yu of Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas will serve an extravagant Chinese New Year Dim Sum Brunch, showcasing authentic yet elevated dishes, Feb. 15-21. The unconventional brunch features tableside presentation of various dim sum and dumplings bursting with flavor, including BBQ pork puff pastries, pan seared radish cake and lotus chicken. Freshly made sushi and a carving station will also be available for a lavish dining experience.

Mandarin Bar at Mandarin Oriental will be one of the exclusive properties to feature the ‘Year of the Dog’ Edition of Johnny Walker Blue Label whiskey during the holiday. Surrounded by an unparalleled view of the Strip, guests can indulge in the specialty “Wu Xing” cocktail inspired by the Chinese Philosophy of the five elements: fire, earth, water, metal and wood. The festive libation is concocted of imperial Oolong tea, sandalwood oils, flamed orange twist, a mandarin ice sphere and custom metal stirrer, creating a symbolic and decadent symphony of flavors.

Hong Kong Café at The Palazzo will observe the Lunar New Year with a specialty-curated menu. Visitors will revel in holiday spirit with a variety of crafted cocktails, including the Pink Lotus and the Blood Moon Daisy, paired with snacks such as peppered beef skewers, crabmeat wontons, and spiced cucumber.

Additional authentic Chinese restaurants in Las Vegas include:

To learn more about how to celebrate the Year of the Dog in Las Vegas, visit www.VisitLasVegas.com.

ABOUT THE LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 11 million-square-feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. Download the virtual reality app, Vegas VR, to experience Las Vegas from your iPhone or Android by visiting http://www.vrtv.vegas/.For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.visitlasvegas.com.
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