Travel insights from Jenna Buege, associate editor of The Compass

Vegas to Celebrate Chinese New Year With Festive Events

Travelers can celebrate Chinese New Year in style by participating in Vegas’ bounty of festivities in 2023. From incredible cuisine to traditional dances and performances, there’s no better way to kick off the Year of the Rabbit than with a visit to Sin City.

Lion and Dragon Dances

Red and yellow feathers, and shiny scales, oh my! Travelers will be amazed as massive lion and dragon costumes dance and sway through the halls of their favorite resorts and casinos with a wide selection of traditional lion and dragon dances taking place from January 23 through the 28. A celebrated ancient tradition, these mesmerizing dances are thought to ward off evil spirits and usher in good luck for the new year.

Here’s where travelers can catch a show:

January 23

The Venetian Resort at 3:00 p.m.
Wynn Las Vegas at 5:30 p.m.

January 25

Gold Coast Hotel & Casino at 7:00 p.m.

January 26

Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa at 6:00 p.m.

January 27

The Cromwell at noon
The Shops at Crystals at noon
Flamingo Las Vegas at 1:00 p.m.
The LINQ Hotel + Experience at 2:00 p.m.
Harrah’s Las Vegas at 3:00 p.m.
Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino at 5:00 p.m.
ARIA Resort & Casino at 6:00 p.m.
Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin at 9:00 p.m.

January 28

Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino at noon
Bellagio Resort & Casino at 1:00 p.m.
Paris Las Vegas at 1:00 p.m.
Horseshoe Las Vegas at 2:00 p.m.
Caesars Palace at 5:00 p.m.
Palms Casino Resort at 5:00 p.m.
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino at 5:00 p.m.

*Photo courtesy of Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority*

Colorful Decor

If there’s one thing Vegas does better than almost anywhere else, it’s creating immersive worlds for travelers to explore. This Chinese New Year will be no different as various resorts and casinos work to create festive displays using elaborate decor. Here are just a few vibrant displays travelers can look forward to.

Bellagio Resort & Casino

Now through Saturday, March 4, 2023, travelers can celebrate Asian culture when they visit the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens’ Lunar New Year display. Designed by Ed Libby in collaboration with the resort’s horticulture team, the collection features ‘meaningful creations’ designed to honor the Black Water Rabbit, a symbol associated with deep wisdom and a connection to the earth. Additionally, the space boasts a 17-foot-tall statute of Caishen (the Chinese god of wealth), a money tree made from literal gold and a traditional tea house.

Caesars Entertainment

Symbols of luck and prosperity such as firecrackers, hanging lanterns, banners and colorful floral arrangements will flood the lobbies of several Caesars Entertainment resorts now through early January. And, at The Forum Shops, visitors can marvel in awe at a 22-foot-long LED dragon display featuring over 30,000 tiny red and amber lights.

The Venetian Resort Las Vegas

Guests of The Venetian Resort will find themselves dwarfed by a massive 16-foot rabbit when they stop to admire the property’s beautiful waterfall atrium and gardens, a space that was totally transformed by the resort’s floral and horticulture team in tandem with a group of artisans and a feng shui master. Additionally, the Grand Canal Shoppes will celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with complimentary entertainment and festive photo ops.

Downtown Las Vegas

No matter where they’re staying, travelers can get in on the action from January 26 through 28 when they attend Chinese New Year in the Desert™, downtown Las Vegas’ annual celebration and parade. Featuring meticulously decorated floats, elaborate costumes, traditional dance performances, a kickoff feast and more, this party is one that’s not to be missed.

Delicious Cuisine

As one of the most notable foodie capitals in the world, many resorts and casinos are showing their love for Chinese New Year and Asian heritage in general through the universal language we all speak: food. Travelers can expect to find tons of unique and scrumptious culinary offerings when they visit the destination now through early February.

Caesars Palace, Harrah’s Las Vegas, MGM Resorts International, ARIA Resort & Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Palms Casino Resort, Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and Resorts World Las Vegas are just a few notable properties for culinary enthusiasts to keep their eye on.

Additionally, Sin City is home to so many authentic Chinese and Chinese-inspired restaurants for travelers to enjoy. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) compiled its list of favorites featured below:

About the Author

Senior Editor for VAX VacationAccess and world explorer, Jenna loves writing about all things travel. When she’s not busy creating content, she spends her time exploring the great outdoors, cuddling with her two black cats and researching her next big (sometimes strange) adventure.

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Jan. 20, 2023
Tags: Las Vegas , Chinese New Year , Year of the Rabbit , Events