The City of Edmonds celebrated its first-ever Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese Year) with events for the entire family Saturday.

Festivities included a lion dance by Northwest Kung Fu and Fitness, an online storytelling sponsored by Sno-Isle Libraries, and a free movie, Over The Moon, at the Edmonds Theater.

Although the official start date for Lunar New Year, Year of the Tiger, is Feb. 1, hundreds of excited spectators turned out to see — and experience — the majestic lion dance demonstration that was held at two locations: Edmonds Lutheran Church, with about 200 people attending, and at the inaugural Winter Market in downtown Edmonds, commanding a crowd of more than 400 people.

Diana Le, who grew up in Seattle’s Chinatown, enrolled her twin boys in Northwest Kung Fu and Fitness about six months ago. She said she was happy to see Edmonds celebrating the Lunar Year and hopes it will continue every year. Le’s twins, Oliver and Edward, both participated in the lion dance, and each of them alsoperformed a kata (a detailed pattern of martial arts movements).

Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson said in his Lunar New Year remarks that the City of Edmonds “is proud to be home to residents and businesses from a wide variety of cultures around the world; we value that diversity as a source of strength.”

Speaking to the crowd, Master David Leong of Northwest Kung Fu and Fitness said that members of his family have lived in Edmonds for over 80 years. He gave a brief history of kung fu, and said that through martial arts everyone can benefit from understanding the body, mind and spirit to enhance one’s life and community.

— Story and photos by Misha Carter