Edmonds hosts Year of the Snake celebration with dancing, drumming and stories

Mak Fai Lion Dance returns for another Lunar New Year celebration at Edmonds Center for the Arts. (Photos by Nick Ng)
Two children try to put money into the lion’s mouth.
Massive Monkees strike a pose at a breakdance performance.
Members of the Seattle Kokon Taiko perform at the Edmonds Center for the Arts during the 2025 Lunar New Year Edmonds event.
Members of the Seattle Kokon Taiko perform at the Edmonds Center for the Arts during the 2025 Lunar New Year Edmonds event.
Edmonds Councilmember Susan Paine, right, volunteers with MAE Vice President Dina Soy-Olson.
MAE board member Steve Ono and emcee Liz Le.
The audience waits for Lunar New Year Edmonds to start.
MAE trustee Lina Luu (left) and Edmonds Center for the Arts Executive Director Kathy Liu.
A lion and a girl greet each other at the Lunar New Year Market.
A father holds his child to greet a lion.

Lunar New Year Edmonds celebrated its fourth year with events that included a winter market and performances at Edmonds Center for the Arts by Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association, Northwest Wushu Academy, Massive Monkees breakdancing crew and Seattle Kohan Taiko.

The activities were hosted by the Multicultural Association of Edmonds (MAE).

Despite the near-freezing temperatures, more than 200 people mingled with friends and families and sampled different foods from vendors at the Lunar New Year Market at downtown Edmonds’ Civic Field.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen welcomed the attendees at the market. “It’s really great that we get to celebrate it along with millions of Americans today here, in our corner, the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “The Year of the Snake is associated with resilience, creativity, adaptability and the ability to overcome barriers and challenges. And so let’s keep that in mind as we look forward to the rest of the new year.”

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen.

Larsen ended with a “happy new year” greeting in Mandarin “xīn nián kuài lè!”

During a break in the performances, MAE board members explained how Lunar New Year Edmonds was created.

MAE President Karin Mei Butler said that she grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where there were no Lunar New Year celebrations. However, Butler’s mom, who is Taiwanese, shared the Lunar New Year tradition with Butler and her brother.

“Growing up in Cheyenne without that sense of culture and celebration and community, it was isolating,” Butler said. “My friends and our fellow community members didn’t really even understand the holiday, and we also faced a lot of racism in the small town. And so I think that’s why events like this are so important, so we can understand each other, celebrate and learn from each other.”

MAE President Karin Mei Butler (left) shares her story on why Lunar New Year Edmonds started. Diana Fuentes and Nikko Glaros are to her left.

MAE Treasurer Diana Fuentes said the idea behind Lunar New Year Edmonds started about 13 years ago when she, Butler and two other women were talking about it while making dumplings together.

“And one day we were kind of like, what if we had a lion dance for everyone? Wouldn’t that be so fun?” Fuentes said. “And it kind of exploded from there.”

The organization is also involved in activities beyond the Lunar New Year celebration. Fuentes’ daughter Reikke, who is on the MAE student advisory board, said that the organization is launching a new $1,000 scholarship program.

It is for high school students who are applying for college or a trade school and have demonstrated “active involvement/contributions to the community,” according to Reikke.

Application opens in mid-February. Check the MAE website for updates.

Reikke Fuentes shares the MAE scholarship program that awards $1,000 to high school students who are applying to college or a trade school.

Butler hopes to bring back Massive Monkees, Northwest Wushu and the lion dance next year in mid-February, when Lunar New Year 2026 welcomes  the Year of the Horse.

More photos of the event can be seen on Flickr.

– Story and photos by Nick Ng

  1. I wish I had seen advanced notification of this event. The main Edmonds website, also, only shows a past Lunar New Year celebration date.
    As a long time former Edmonds resident, I like to bring my family, especially my son, to differing events.

    1. Hi Barbara — we mentioned the event in advance several times — sorry you missed seeing it. For those wanting to be notified of events, I encourage you to sign up for our daily newsletter — it’s free and comes directly to your inbox — so you don’t miss any stories.https://myedmondsnews.com/newsletters/

  2. My husband or I attended all the events, including the evening fundraiser for MAE at Cascadia. The performances at ECA were outstanding and entertaining, the market was worth braving the cold and the fundraiser had delicious Asian appetizers in a wonderful setting. The daytime events were free which is increasingly rare but welcome. We have seen the Lunar New Year celebration grow over the pasr four years and appreciate the hard work of the MAE and other volunteers. Thank you for helping us celebrate the Lunar New Year in our town!

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