The Year of the Tiger roars into the historic downtown district in the form of the 8th Annual Hilo Chinese New Year Festival on Saturday, February 13, 2010.

The Big Island Shaolin Arts Lion Dancer parade kicks things off at 8:30 a.m. beginning at the Mooheau Bus Station, proceeds along Kamehameha Avenue and up Waianuenue Avenue to Kalakaua Park blessing people and businesses along the way. Anyone who wishes to prosper in the New Year may offer bright red lai see envelopes with crisp dollar bills to the Lion Dancers, who will “devour” them and send wishes for prosperity directly to the heavens.

The free festival opens at 10 a.m. at Kalakaua Park with thousands of firecrackers and more exciting Big Island Shaolin Arts Lion Dance exhibitions in front of the East Hawaii Cultural Center. Tents will be packed into the park, filled with Chinese, Asian, Hawaiian, and local crafts, art and products, cultural practitioners offering information and demonstrations in Feng Shui, I-Ching, Chinese fortune telling, calligraphy, and tea. An international “Food Court” features island favorites with roots in Pacific/Asia cultures offering something for every taste.

A live cooking demonstration with Hawaii Community College Culinary Arts program faculty and students takes place at 12 p.m. Free samples of their Chinese barbecue pork on taro sesame bun with Asian chicken slaw will be offered while supplies last.

Entertainment on stage will include the Kobudo Taiko troupe, demonstrations by Peter Tam Hoy’s Tai Chi students, monkey martial arts with the Mo Min Kuen Martial Arts Academy, and music by Ben Kaili and Friends. For the kids, registration for the Keiki Chinese Costume contest will be from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the information table near the stage, and is open to infants and children up to 13 years old. At noon, the young contestants will parade their Chinese outfits and vie for prizes donated by downtown Hilo businesses.