Chinese New Year 2011 in Las Vegas - Celebrating Cultural Diversity

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Resorts Host Festivities To Honor The Year Of The Rabbit

Las Vegas hops into the Chinese New Year this February with a stunning showcase of meaningful décor, traditional Chinese cuisine and activities to commemorate the Year of the Rabbit. Beginning Jan. 7, Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens will celebrate the holiday with a unique floral and botanical display guided by the ancient practice of Feng Shui. The centerpiece of the exhibit will feature a 35-foot Chinese Junk Boat inspired by traditional 15th century fishing vessels, surrounded by a zigzag bridge leading to a striking, wing-tipped Ming Dynasty-styled gazebo. The exhibit will also feature a 12-foot rabbit with a luxurious coat made of live plants. The exhibit is on display through March 5.

At the atrium gardens in The Shoppes at The Palazzo, a 16-foot, 1,000-pound animated rabbit surrounded by handcrafted silk hanging lanterns and orange trees representing good luck and fortune will be on display. Decorations will follow the customary color scheme of red and gold, and include presentations of fresh bamboo, traditional Chinese lanterns and I-Ching coins representing an abundance of wealth. Crystals at CityCenter celebrates the Year of the Rabbit with a golden display of a graceful rabbit weighing 1,200 pounds, reaching more than 11-feet-tall and stretching 12-feet-long. The elegant exhibit is situated in the midst of Crystals’ beautiful flower carpet and will be on display through March 7. Festive decorations representing fortune and prosperity will also be featured at a number of other properties throughout Las Vegas.

Resorts such as Wynn and Encore transformed their atriums into celebrations of the Chinese New Year with festive decorations, including ceremonial dragons suspended above guests in the Encore Esplanade, to welcome all visitors. Guests visiting Wynn Jan. 30 through Feb. 8 can enjoy premium Le Rêve tickets for $88 using the promo code NewYear88. Madame Tussauds Las Vegas will also have a special display honoring Chinese New Year Feb. 1 through 21 with a special appearance by a life-like wax model of Jackie Chan.

Caesars Palace will host Hong Kong pop singing icon Jacky Cheung Feb. 6 – 8 at the Colosseum. Cheung will perform all his classic hits during these highly-anticipated shows that herald the Chinese New Year.

What better time to say ‘I do’ than during Chinese New Year when wishes of happiness and prosperity flourish. Chapel of the Flowers is sweetening their wedding package with a free bouquet upgrade and red silk petal pathway for any wedding or renewal of vows ceremony taking place during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

In addition to stunning décor and exciting entertainment, a number of restaurants on and off the Strip will prepare special menus and dishes for the holiday celebration, including:

* Beijing Noodle No. 9 and Sea Harbour at Caesars Palace will offer special menu items in honor of Chinese New Year.

* TAO Asian Bistro at The Venetian will offer a special meal of bo bo go sing, (a rice cake stir fry with shrimp, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, carrot, ginger, scallion, sambal chile and soy), and a dessert special featuring fried sesame balls. These specials will be offered Feb. 2 – 8.

* Double Helix Wine & Whiskey Bar at The Palazzo will offer half off all sake and sake cocktails on Feb. 3.

* ZINE at The Palazzo will offer a special menu to commemorate the Chinese New Year.

* China Grill at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino will feature a sharing menu of more than 40 dishes, including favorites like Tempura Sashimi with hot mustard sauce and grilled Szechuan Beef with sake, spicy shallots and cilantro.

* To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, Wing Lei at Wynn is offering a Dim Sum buffet between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 3-8. Wing Lei will also have extended hours, 11 p.m. to midnight.

* Red 8 inside Wynn will have extended hours from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Feb. 3 – 8.

* TABLEAU at Wynn will offer a Midnight Supper from midnight to 5 a.m.

Traditional Dragon and Lion Dances are also scheduled at a number of resorts to kick off the celebration and welcome the Year of the Rabbit. Performances include:

* The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace – 120 students from The Meadows School will perform their 14th annual presentation of the traditional dragon and lion dances on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m.

* Planet Hollywood – Saturday, Feb. 5 at noon

* Paris – Saturday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.

* Ballys – Saturday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m.

* Harrah’s – Saturday, Feb. 5 at 5 p.m.

* Imperial Palace – Saturday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m.

* Flamingo – Saturday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m.

* Rio – Sunday, Feb. 6 at 10:30 a.m.

* Caesars Palace – Sunday, Feb. 6 at noon

* The Venetian/The Palazzo – Dragon and Lion Dance will begin at The Venetian’s lavish Porte-Cochere and make its way through The Venetian and The Palazzo casinos, and end in the upper

* Palazzo Porte-Cochere on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m.

* Las Vegas Premium Outlets – Watch as the Dragon Dance weaves its way around the outdoor shopping center on Saturday, Feb. 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

* Wynn and Encore – Saturday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. beginning at Wynn South Entrance and continuing through the Wynn and Encore casinos.

For even more reasons to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Vegas, go to www.VisitLasVegas.com.