REACH Lunar New Year Parade Blog 2024

Winter Park HS - Jordina 

​The Lunar New Year Parade Festival was certainly a memorable event to attend! As a member of REACH, I was assigned to help with vehicle registration and check-in. The parking labels and sign-in sheets were already quite organized when I arrived at the scene, which made it much easier to sort the vehicles in the parade into their respective parking spots. It was a fun experience overseeing traffic on the parade streets and witnessing different parade floats get set up in creative ways. I sure enjoyed my time volunteering!

When it came time for the parade, a fellow REACH member and I hurried to change into our Chinese cultural attire. We had been offered the task of carrying the restaurant banner for Chuan Lu Garden, and we did so with great excitement. Having the pleasure of being right in the middle of the parade, I was awed by the amazing cultural representation that surrounded me on all sides. There were captivating lion dancers, synchronized martial artists, swirling dragons, and much, much, more! On both sides of the parade, it was clear to see that people of all ages, races, and backgrounds had come together to enjoy this vibrant event. The air was full of energetic exuberance and cheer. I certainly had a lot of fun at the annual Lunar New Year Festival, and I am looking forward to attending next year!

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 Bishop Moore HS - Mikayla 

The Lunar New Year Parade of Central Florida is always an event I look forward to every year. I assisted with coordinating the parade participants and overall order of the parade. Having the opportunity to volunteer for this special event for 3 years has allowed me to not only embrace my own Asian heritage, but the large variety of cultures and traditions that are brought to the parade. It was extremely fun to appreciate and admire the great commitment and dedication of all the participants. Personally, the dragon dance performances are always my favorite, as it reminds me how important it is to celebrate my culture. Overall, the Lunar New Year Parade never fails to acknowledge the strong sense of unity of the Asian population in Florida.

Check out event pictures and info here!