Shangri-La in Colorado Springs hosting Lunar New Year celebration

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Lunar New Year begins Sunday, February 1, and one local restaurant will be kicking off the festivities.

Shangri-La Restaurant, in Colorado Springs, will have a special Lunar New Year celebration consisting of a dragon dance performance by the Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center and a special menu offered at both locations on N. Union Blvd. and Barnes Rd.

Kian Loo, the owner, says the dragon dance performance is a tradition that brings good luck in the new year.

"This is the biggest holiday of Chinese culture, sort of like Christmas and New Year' for Christians," explained Loo

The Lunar New Year is a two-week celebration centered around removing the bad and the old and welcoming the new and the good.

The holiday also marks the resetting of the zodiac cycle on the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This is the year of the Tiger.

The special menu will consist of traditional Lunar New Year food items. The dragon dance performance begins at 4 p.m. at the Barnes location and 5 p.m. at the Union location.

If you would like to attend you can make a reservation or walk-in.