Chinese New Year of The Ram Celebration in Downtown L.A.

The Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is a time to celebrate change and honor ancestors. Following a lunisolar calendar, the Chinese New Year does not fall on the same day every year.
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The Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is a time to celebrate change and honor ancestors. Following a lunisolar calendar, the Chinese New Year does not fall on the same day every year. Usually occurring on the second new moon, Chinese mythology tells a story of a mythical beast called Nian which used the darkness of a new moon to terrorize livestock, crops and children. To ward off the Nian, villagers would hang red lanterns and light fireworks on the first day of the Lunar New Year to scare the creature away. This beast is said to be one of the inspirations behind the famous Chinese lion dance. Whether warding off a beast or welcoming a new moon, the festivities of the Chinese New Year need no explanation for such a celebration.

On Friday, Februray 13th, The Good Vibe, Raindance Presents and The Dirty Beetles will be welcoming The Year of the Wooden Sheep, or ram. The intergalactic lineup includes ill.Gates, VibeSquaD, Pumpkin, Mihkal, Ruff Hauser, The Fungineers, Smasheltooth vs. The Pirate, J*Labs, Little John the DJ, Lou E. Bagels, Winnebago and DJ Oh Diggz. Throbbing bass will surely be rattling every bone at this party. There will be live performances by sexy clown dance troupe Bijoulette, GoGo Stars, and traditional Chinese Lion dancers. Fresh, enhanced coconuts by CocoAlchemy will be slurped and Matt Mindmelt Grosso will be offering massage and body art. Magical, hand-crafted wares will be sold and live painters Andrew A. Soria, Christian Salaverry and Dave Zaboski will be tickling canvasses with their paintbrushes. Sponsored by Amazon Superfood company, Sambazon, their acai berry energy drinks will be featured at the bar all night. Located at the epic 333 Live space (which once belonged to Prince) in Downtown Los Angeles, this event is boasting to be even more legendary than last year. Its second year in Los Angeles, this event has been a fixture in San Francisco for the past 14 years and the union of The Good Vibe and Raindance Presents finally brought the party down to Southern California.

Hosted by an inspiring group of individuals, this event is being organized with passion, fervor and talent. Dim Sum from Six Street Foods will begin serving at 8:30 on the patio followed by an opening tea ceremony which begins at 8:45. Those who arrive early to join the tea party receive a $5 discount at the door. One of the most anticipated elements of this event is the traditional Chinese Lion dance and parade that will begin promptly at midnight. Beautiful, hand-crafted decorations are being created and brought down from Santa Cruz in addition to the local decoration committee's custom made contributions. "Pretty sure if I add anything else to this event it might just get so big it explodes," said Jackie Peters (J*Labs) of The Good Vibe when expressing her excitement for this event. Fueled by the spirit of the festival culture, there will be no shortage of eccentric costumes, one-of-a-kind fashion, good vibes, dancing feet, titillating bass, and open arms.

In nature, the ram is known for being stalwart and agile, but also fragile as they are sensitive to environmental change, often caused by humans. In zodiac lore, the ram encompasses sincerity, passion, selflessness, adventure and volatility. The Year of the Wooden Sheep will be a time for appreciation, exploration, adoration, and change. Decorated in hues of love and laughter, join us on this new moon as we set our quandaries free and get rambunctious!

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