Cultural Bridge: Welcoming the New Year in Macau with the Golden Dragon

Macau, February 18. On Tuesday, the first day of the Chinese New Year (Year of the Horse), the Macau Government Tourism Office organized a grand event to extend greetings to tourists and local residents. At the opening ceremony held at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, the traditional ritual of dotting the eyes of the 238-meter-long golden dragon and 18 dancing lions was completed.

At the event, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macau Government Tourism Office, expressed heartfelt New Year wishes and conveyed her belief that the Year of the Horse would bring prosperity and happiness to Macau and everyone.

Local resident Ms. Lam said she had been waiting since morning to watch the parade. She, who observes this event almost every year, expressed joy at being able to interact with the performers. “May there be more such events,” she urged.

The parade featured lively performances by the golden dragon, dancing lions, the God of Fortune, the three Gods of Happiness, Prosperity, and Longevity, the Horse zodiac mascot, and Macau’s tourism mascot Mak Mak at major historical sites and streets.

Mr. Chen, who came to Macau from Beijing to celebrate the Chinese New Year, mentioned that the festive atmosphere here is very vibrant. Having been in Macau for five days, he shared his experience of seeing such a long dragon for the first time, saying, “It is extremely grand and impressive.”

According to the Tourism Office, this two-day community event will include performances by art troupes at various locations, including the Macau Grand Prix Museum area, Barra Square, and the Taipa Houses.