Accompanied by parents Gena and Anthony and twirling a pint-sized red parasol, 3-year-old Nicole Pitti
stood mesmerized by the sights of dancing pandas, elongated dragons and an endless sea of red. She was among hundreds of Bay area children and their families — including a U.S. Congressional candidate — who gathered in Largo’s Central Park on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival of China, the 15-day celebration is defined by the first new moon of the calendar year, which began Friday.
Chinese communities around the world, including Tampa Bay, welcomed The Year of the Horse while bidding adieu to the Year of the Dragon.
Sponsored by the Suncoast Chinese American Association (SACA) and the City of Largo, the festival occupied Largo Central Park for the second consecutive year, surpassing 2013 attendance records by several hundred.
In the past, the festival of 30-plus years has been held in various towns around the Bay area, mostly indoors at locations including Tampa’s Blake High School and Clearwater High School.
“It made perfect sense to provide some stability for our community and to build on a foundation,” Duann said. “It can only get better and better.”
Highlights of the day-long festival included continuous dance and song from area Chinese schools and the official naming of SACA’s puffy panda mascot. “LeLe” was chosen from entries and voters.
An appearance by Alex Sink brought cheers from the crowd.
Florida's former Chief Financial Officer is the Democratic candidate in the special election to fill the vacancy created by the 2013 death of U.S. Representative Bill Young.
Addressing the crowd, she spoke of her Chinese heritage and of her great-granddad, Chang Barker, one half of the original Siamese twins.
The identical brothers, Chang and Eng Bunker, spent their 63 years attached at the base of their chests by a 5-inch-long band of flesh. They traveled the world as curiosities before finally settling as gentlemen farmers in the foothills of North Carolina.
With Saturday’s temperatures peaking at 78 degrees, revelers basked in the welcome relief following days of chilling weather.
“We couldn’t have asked for better conditions,” Duann said. “Luck was on our side.”