HAPPY YEAR OF THE PIG
Neil Stanger, 6, of Aspinwall, left, laughs as Alex Chen, 18, of Gibsonia and Zitao Wu, 23, of Squirrel Hill dance toward him in a lion costume during the Chinese Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday in Squirrel Hill. Story in
As spectators started lining Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill on Sunday morning, drummer Alex Pang was preparing to keep the beat literally during the traditional lion dance to start the fourth annual Chinese Lunar New Year Parade.
Lions, dragons and fire-eaters were among the attractions along the parade route, which began at 11 a.m. at Murray and Phillips avenues. The parade was presented by the Organization of Chinese Americans, Uncover Squirrel Hill and the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition.
A lion dance, performed by the Steel Dragon Kung Fu & Lion Dance Team, signaled the start of
the parade.
“This dance is a traditional Chinese blessing, and you don’t see many of them in this country,” said Marian Lien, president of OCA.
She noted that the basket used in the dance is from Malaysia and is used to capture pigs.
“It’s appropriate for the Year of the Pig,” she said.
The lion ripped apart lettuce and threw it toward the onlookers.
“The lettuce represents good fortune, so you want it to land on you,” Ms. Lien explained.
The Year of the Pig is particularly good for finances, she said.
“Invest in the stock market,” Ms. Lien suggested with a smile.
“The lion dance is built on traditional martial arts,” said Chris Young, coach and instructor of the Steel Dragon Kung Fu & Lion Dance Team.
Ms. Lien agreed. “Students of martial arts used the dance as a way to stay in shape and entertain the people,” she said.
After the dance was completed, Mr. Pang continued to play his drum from the back of truck that preceded the lion dancers as they performed along the parade route. Walking behind them were local dignitaries, including Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, city Councilman Corey O’Connor and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
“This parade continues to grow every year as we see the Asian-American population grow in Allegheny County,” Mr. Fitzgerald said.
Half of the population growth for this demographic is in the North Hills, particularly McCandless and Wexford, and the other half is in the Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, he said.
“There are about 22,000 Asian-Americans living in Allegheny County,” he noted.
Marching and performing at the intersections were Pan-Asian cultural organizations, including Thai Fire Eaters, Win-Win Kung Fu, Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Eastern Dance Fellowship, Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center, Dragon boat teams Pittsburgh Paddlefish and Hearts of Steel, and the Pittsburgh Allderdice High School marching band.
Jimmy and Kathy Wan of the Pittsburgh Chinese Restaurant Association waved from their car, followed by Pier Lee, the 2019 grand marshal, in a yellow Rolls-Royce.
“We see this year’s parade as a way for the community to come together and celebrate life, especially after what happened at the Tree of Life synagogue,” Ms. Lien said, referring to the Oct. 27, 2018, shooting massacre at the Squirrel Hill house of worship. “It should never have happened, but we want this to help the healing.”