by Alex Lloyd Gross
It’s the Year of the Horse. The Chinese Lunar New Year happened on February 17, 2026, and there was dancing in the streets. Today, February 22, 2026, the Philadelphia Suns took to the streets of Chinatown to help residents and merchants celebrate.
There was a lion dance. The Suns are a youth group that gets together for sports, and the parade (or Lion Dance) is a work event for them. They split into three teams to cover the entire area of Chinatown. Some people were responsible for banging on kettle drums, while others danced under the lion, making it move and collecting offerings.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo/ Delaware Valley News.com Two lions walk down the street in Chinatown.
Merchants showed they wanted to participate by hanging lettuce and red envelopes with cash outside their establishments. When the lion team came by, they would erect long strings of firecrackers and wait for a team member to light them.
It’s ironic that back in the 1980s, when firecrackers were illegal, some stores would sell them in Chinatown. Now they are legal, and the club has to go to a fireworks store to obtain their supply. This celebration is LOUD. Earplugs are a must.
The firecrackers are used to chase away evil spirits, while the drum keeps the lion moving. Smaller children are not involved in the lion or crowd movements; instead, they walk ahead with a banner. The celebrations last about three hours.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com After the lions have passed, a merchant sweeps in front of his store as a crowd watches another lion team in the background.
The threat of bad weather kept many people who would normally attend this event at home. During their briefing, the members were assigned teams and told to “be quick but be good.” The speed and time spent at each merchant were determined by how fast the firecrackers ignited. If a string took too long, members of the Suns would light different portions to help speed it along.
Not every merchant participated. Some stores were closed, while others chose not to hang any offerings this year. When the lion team came through, merchants were seen sweeping up the street, which was covered in red firecracker paper and what was left of the lettuce that was not “consumed” by the lions.