Happy Chinese New Year!

Getting hit by food isn’t always a bad thing.

It was good luck to be hit by flying lettuce during the traditional lion dance at Saturday’s Chinese New Year Festival.  

Even better, though, was to indulge in steaming plates of lo mein, egg rolls and other Asian fare.

The colorful, aromatic event hosted by the Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute drew a bustling crowd to the City Auditorium in downtown Colorado Springs.

The event was a fusion of Asian dance, martial arts, shopping, travel and education.

It kicked off the Year of the Tiger, the third in the cycle of a dozen Chinese zodiac signs.

This year’s official Chinese New Year Day coincides with Valentine’s Day, making it a double celebration for ferocious romantics.

“It’s an important thing for the Chinese,” said 14-year-old Tom Niu. “It’s the biggest festival.”

He remembers huge celebrations lasting for days as a boy growing up in Beijing.

He moved here four years ago, where the celebration is on a smaller scale. But, he said, he still gets to stay up all night and party.

At Saturday’s event, he sold dragons, fans, scarves and other artifacts at the Chinese Cultural Institute table.

“Children like the noisemakers and toys,” he said.

Palmer High School sophomore Chelsea McCullough liked being able to say “Happy New Year” in Chinese.

“It’s my second year of learning Chinese,” Chelsea said. “I like how their language is hard to speak, yet they know it so easily.”

She was her parents’ guide around the auditorium Saturday.

“My parents go, ‘What does this say?’ What does this mean?’” she said. “It’s more fun now that I can understand what’s going on.”

The event was a means for Rachel Reed, 26, to get in touch with her Asian side.

“I’m a quarter Asian. I love hearing the stories and getting to know more about my culture through the festivals,” she said.

She bought a handmade picture with the Pig zodiac sign, which she said suits her.

“I’m a boar. On here it says: ‘brave, thoughtful, polite, considerate and ready to help.’ That’s me,” she said. “I’m a certified nurse assistant. My career is to help people.”

On the other hand, a better career for a powerful, prowling tiger is military officer, manager, actor, pilot or politician.