Dancing dragon to visit island

Published 8:00 pm Saturday, January 14, 2006

Islanders will celebrate the Chinese New Year on Jan. 29.

A colorful parade of dragons and drums will herald the island’s first Chinese New Year Celebration, a gift for the island community.

“We just want to celebrate diversity and education and family fun,” said Jamee Nunnelee, a member of Old China Hands and a co-founder of the event, which signals the Year of the Dog.

Old China Hands includes about 65 islanders who, like Nunnelee, have lived in Taiwan, Hong Kong or China, and who meet socially once a year.

Last year, members discussed bringing Chinese New Year festivities to Bainbridge families, many of whom have ties to the culture.

“A lot of people don’t know there was an old Chinese slum in the late 1800s in Port Blakely,” Nunnelee said. “There is a group of about 30 people who have adopted children from China. They need to incorporate the Chinese culture into their lives. And we have Chinese Americans living here.”

Nunnelee and Randi Lin Evans took it upon themselves to bring the festival idea to life on Jan. 29 on Winslow Way, without fund-raising or making it a commercial venture.

Donations are accepted and they are happy to have received a grant from the Suquamish tribe, which “will probably cover all of our costs,” Nunnelee said. “Everything else will go into a fund for next year.”

A dozen volunteers have assembled an array of activities, booths and food designed to make festival-goers of all ages happy.

Police will close off Winslow Way between Ericksen and Madison for the parade.

Nine participants have been taking dance and drum lessons in Seattle’s International District since last September to execute an authentic Lion Dance.

Dating back some 1,000 years, the dance represents strength, wisdom and good luck and brings prosperity to businesses that have the lion perform for them.

Eight Winslow merchants have invited the lion to dance outside their shops in exchange for a red envelope with a thank you donation inside leafy greens tied to a long pole.

The lion will “eat the green” and drop the leaves around to spread the wealth within the premises.

The donations will help defray the costs of the lion’s head, gong, drums and cymbal to be used in the celebration.

Furrytale Farms and other organizations are readying dogs to march with island canines and their humans in the Dog Parade. Costumes are encouraged.

Families are asked to decorate their bikes and wagons for the Bicycle Brigade.

Under tents at Winslow Mall, food booths will offer cooking demonstrations and such traditional and symbolic dishes as long noodles for a long life, oranges and pears for good luck, and dry bean curd for fulfillment, wealth and happiness.

Other booths will feature experts in calligraphy, feng shui and Chinese astrology, as well as representatives from the Bainbridge Island Historical Society and Old China Hands.

Everyone’s getting in on the fun.

Downtown merchants will display special storefront decorations and Town & Country will sell lunches across the street in the small parking lot.

Children can enjoy special Chinese New Year activities at the Kids Discovery Museum, on-going throughout the month.

And award-winning children’s author Lensey Namioka will read “They Don’t Mean It” from the anthology “First Crossing: Stories About Teen Immigrants” at 3 p.m. at Eagle Harbor Books.

“It’s our first year and we don’t want to expect too much. We don’t have a fancy PA system, everyone’s in charge of their own booth (and has to) bring their own table and heat lamp,” Nunnelee said.

“We’ve gotten a lot of good feedback,” she added. “I think it’s going to be great.”

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Year of the Dog

The first Bainbridge Island Chinese New Year Celebration will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 29 on Winslow Way. The Bicycle Brigade and Dog Parade start at 12:30 p.m., followed by the Lion Dance at 1 p.m.

Donations are appreciated for the food and activities in tent-covered booths in Winslow Mall. For festival information see www.bichineseconnection.com.

The event is sponsored by the Bainbridge Island Chinese Connection, the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, Old China Hands Club, local Chinese residents and interested island citizens.