Lunar New Year fest has returned

The Lunar New Year event returns to Disney California Adventure starting today after a pandemic pause, with a festival lineup that includes multicultural foods, live entertainment and Disney characters dressed in festive attire.

The event runs through Feb. 13 and celebrates Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures and traditions.

The four festival marketplace food kiosks will once again include Longevity Noodle Co., Lucky 8 Lantern, Prosperity Bao & Buns, and Red Dragon Spice Traders. Dishes will include char-siu barbecue pork bao, spicy pork dandan noodles and Lion’s Head meatballs.

Paradise Garden Grill

will serve a limited-time menu featuring pork banh mi, spicy kung pao tofu with zucchini, and Tiger milk tea with boba. The Lucky Fortune Cookery in the Pacific Wharf food court area will also have limited-time offerings. A full festival menu lineup will be announced later.

The Year of the Tiger will bring Tigger to California Adventure for the Lunar New Year festivities. Raya from Disney’s 2021 “Raya and the Last Dragon” animated movie will appear in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area.

Mickey and Minnie will return in seasonal attire along with Mulan and Mushu in Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession. Mulan and her faithful dragon, Mushu, will get a new float for the procession through the park, with golden tasseled firecrackers

and red and gold lanterns that glow during evening performances. Traditional Chinese drummers will accompany the float.

Melody of China will perform a fusion of Chinese folk, classical and contemporary instrumental music on the Paradise Garden Bandstand.

A new Lunar New Year mural on the former ESPN Zone in Downtown Disney by Disney Live Entertainment Art Director Elizabeth Lisa Kang draws inspiration from the traditional Korean folk art style minhwa.

The 2021 Lunar New Year event was put on hold by the 412-day pandemic closure of California Adventure and Disneyland.

Sip and Savor passes for the Lunar New Year event will allow visitors to purchase a prepaid card with multiple tabs good

for items at food and beverage stands throughout the festival.

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRITCHEN — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession takes place in 2019as part of Disney California Adventure’s Lunar New Year Festival, which draws on Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese traditions. This year’s edition runs through Feb. 13.

Actors portraying Disney cartoon characters Mulan and Mushu, at left, take part in their 2018procession at Disney California Adventure, along with dancers and drummers. At right, John Class attaches New Year’s wishes to a cord.