Vietnamese New Year Celebration

Happy Year of the Sheep! Or Year of the Goat! None of the Lunar New Year guides we consulted seem to agree which is 2015’s spirit animal, but no matter – in Orlando, you can consider it the Year of the Stomach. Though the actual New Year’s date is Feb. 19 this year, celebrations start early and continue throughout the month; the very first one is at Central Florida Fairgrounds this weekend, organized by the St. Phillip Phan Van Minh Catholic Church. February will bring plenty of lion dancers, firecrackers and red envelopes (keep an eye on our blogs for a comprehensive guide to local Lunar New Year celebrations) but food is the cornerstone of this spring holiday, and food is what you’ll find at this particular festival: pork meatballs, banh mí, dumplings, noodles (the longer the better), pickles and sweet sugarcane juice. Admission is free, but food is not, so bring plenty of cash along with your appetite.