Updated: In light of the shooting tragedy in Monterey Park, Sunday's festivities of the Lunar New Year Festival have been cancelled.
The Chinese Lunar New Year 2023 starts this Sunday, Jan. 22 and runs through Thursday, Feb. 9. It’s the year of the Rabbit, a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture and is predicted to be a year of hope. People born in a year of the Rabbit are said to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious. Here are some celebrations worth hopping into.
Crustacean Beverly Hills will be serving elegant Lunar New Year specials, as well as hosting a New Year event, beginning Saturday, Jan. 21. To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, there will be an eight-course, Heaven and Earth Prosperity menu served for one week, through Saturday, Jan. 28, which also includes entertainment and edible art. Dishes include a caviar egg for unity, rabbit dumplings, garlic roasted crab and noodles for longevity and wealth, Dover sole, Remy Martin wagyu salt block steak and gooey butter cake for happiness. 

Heaven and Earth Prosperity dinner at Crustacean (Carl Larsen)

Chef Shirley Chung's special Lunar New Year's menu at Ms Chi Cafe in Culver City is available for dine-in only now through Sunday. The set menu feeds two and is served family style. There will be Lo Shen salad with beet-cured salmon, golden chicken jiaozi, Chinese greens, Singapore chili king crab noodles, tea-smoked duck and grapefruit mochi donuts.
The Grove and The Americana at Brand in Glendale are celebrating Lunar New Year now through Tuesday, Jan. 31. Pick up a traditional lucky red envelope at Caruso Concierge for exclusive offers from some of our favorite stores and restaurants, which may contain a lucky surprise. 
There will be a New Year parade featuring traditional lion and dragon performances at The Americana at Brand on Jan. 29 from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sprinkles at The Grove will be offering limited edition Lunar New Year Gold Bunny cupcakes and Sur La Table at The Americana at Brand has a Lunar New Year collection of serving trays, dishes, utensils, and other homegoods. Check into the Nordstrom Bar Verde for 20% off any  food or beverage.
Santa Monica Place will be honoring the year of the rabbit on Saturday, Jan. 28 with several activities and performances under red and gold strung lanterns. From 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., the center will feature traditional performances by lion dancers, and on-site balloon and dough artists and guests will be able to hang their wishes for prosperity on the cherry blossom Wishing Tree.

Shirley Chung's tea smoked duck (Courtesy Ms Chi Cafe)

Open Market, the community-driven market and cafe in Koreatown, famous for its sandwiches, will offer a one-night dinner special available for pick up and limited dine-in seating on Thursday, Jan. 26. The dinner drop includes the team’s version of Peking Duck – dry aged and cured duck breast roasted with duck legs confit, served with duck fat fried rice, duck jus’ hoisin and flour tortillas from Mejorado. There’s also Tres Leches Cake, Forbidden Rice Horchata and Five Spice Cake. Pre-Order is available on their website (www.openmarket.la).
Whether you’re celebrating with lychee-flavored lotus flowers, green tea almonds, or looking for a sweet gift for a friend, candy maker Sugarfina is offering these limited-edition treats. There’s a Lion Dance 8 Piece Candy Bento Box, filled with eight gourmet candies, a Lunar Garden 2 Piece Candy Bento Box, Peach Blossom 9 Piece Mini Candy Trunk dressed in red and finished with gold touches as well as the Lotus Flowers Candy Cube with lychee-flavored gummies symbolizing the purity of both heart and mind. The new Green Tea Almonds Candy Cube features California-grown almonds dipped in white chocolate steeped in  green tea flavor and the Peach Blossoms Candy Cube contains peach-flavored gummies dusted with sweet and sour crystals.

Two piece bento box (Courtesy Sugarfina)

Monterey Park’s Lunar New Year Festival takes place this weekend, Saturday, Jan. 21 and Sunday, Jan.22 and will feature vendors offering gifts and specialty items, food booths, amusement rides, and plenty  of live entertainment. The traditional New Year lion and dragon dancers will kick off the festival Saturday morning and a carnival fun zone will be featured in parking lots at the corner of Garvey and Lincoln Avenues.
Past Lunar New Year events in Monterey Park have drawn crowds estimated at over 100,000 visitors per day from all over the Southern California area. Plan on attending now for a full weekend of fun, entertainment, shopping, and dining. The event is presented by the City of Monterey Park, the Monterey Park Downtown Business Improvement District Advisory Committee, and World Journal LA, LLC.
On Sunday, Jan.  29, the city of Alhambra and the Alhambra Chamber will host the Lunar New Year Festival, a  free, multi-block festival that l takes place on Main Street from Garfield to 2nd Street. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. there will be two stages with entertainment and more than 100 booths with giveaways and activities.
The Main Stage will feature cultural performances and demonstrations including a lion dance, calligraphy instruction, cultural dances, the Candy Man, and more. Back again will be the Asian Arts Talents Foundation with various performances from China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan. The Candy Man will sculpt animals and dragons, live on stage.
New this year will be a culinary stage, where chefs will demonstrate traditional dishes from across Asia, with samples available for attendees. Another new feature of this year’s festival is the Wellness Pavilion where attendees can get complimentary tests and information to increase their health and longevity in the new year.

Crustacean gooey butter cake (Carl Larsen)