Join the vibrant Celebrate Lunar festival in downtown Orlando this weekend, featuring food, culture, and fun for everyone!
Orlando: This weekend, the Celebrate Lunar festival is happening at Luminary Green Park. It runs Saturday and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. It’s the fourth year for this event, and it’s getting bigger every time.
Since it started in 2022, the festival has grown by 40% each year. This year, it will showcase the Lunar New Year, which falls on January 29, with cultural elements from various Asian communities, including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Plus, there will be tons of delicious food!
Maxine Sudarma, the festival’s founder, has poured her heart into this event. After it wraps up, she might just need a good cry to release all that built-up emotion. She jokes about needing a massage afterward!
Maxine moved to Orlando from Sacramento just before the pandemic. She missed celebrating the New Year with her big family back home, so she wanted to create something special here. It’s become a passion project for her.
She remembers the first festival being super nerve-wracking. It was freezing and windy, and people were still worried about COVID. They expected about 500 attendees, but 2,200 showed up! It was a huge success, and everyone had a blast.
This year, the festival will have 35 food vendors, up from 12 in 2022. There will be a cultural show, eating contests, and a kids’ carnival. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids on the first day, while the second day is just $5.
For those wanting a VIP experience, it’s $125 and includes special perks like preferred seating and exclusive tastings. Maxine has worked hard to include both well-known vendors and smaller, local businesses to give everyone a chance to shine.
One highlight is the limited-edition Mochi Cube dessert from Kori Bakery, which will be available for VIP guests. It’s a beautiful treat that everyone will be talking about!
Gillian Liu, the owner of Kori Bakery, is excited to be part of the festival. She’s been creating unique desserts and drinks that reflect her Hong Kong roots. She loves how the festival brings everyone together to celebrate and share their cultures.
Maxine and Gillian both agree that this event is like a big family reunion, where everyone comes together to enjoy food and traditions. It’s a fantastic way to celebrate the Lunar New Year and connect with the community.
