In honor of the most celebrated sign of the Chinese Zodiac, the dragon, The Venetian and The Palazzo are commemorating the prosperous holiday in an over-the-top fashion. The New Year celebrations include lavish feng shui-inspired decor, a dragon dance, specialty cuisine offerings and festive cocktails.
The Waterfall & Atrium Gardens of The Palazzo will host Las Vegas’ premier Chinese New Year attraction — a 128-foot, handcrafted, fire-breathing dragon suspended above the 65-foot-high space. Spanning the entire atrium, the one-of-a-kind, 8,000-pound dragon will be perched at the ground-floor fountain and breathe fire from Jan. 23 to Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., daily and at 2 p.m. on Chinese New Year Day following the dragon dance.
“During Chinese New Year, it is beneficial to visit the dragon for its blessing and protection,” said Peter Lung, with World of Feng Shui, who consulted on the design of the dragon. “It is good luck to walk around the entire dragon three times in a clockwise motion to remove obstacles for 2012. You should build friendships with those who possess the sign of the dragon for better luck and blessings in the New Year.”
A highlight of the festivities, The Dragon Dance and Eye-Painting Ceremony, will be held on Jan. 23 at 1 p.m. Symbolizing good luck and prosperity for the upcoming year, the dragon dance is an important ritual of Chinese culture. The event will be complete with firecrackers and will begin at The Venetian porte cochere. The procession will make its way through The Palazzo, and the colorful spectacle will feature a parade of dancers and musicians dressed in elaborate costumes playing authentic music.
Cuisine
During Chinese New Year, guests can enjoy specialty dishes at The Palazzo’s Zine Noodles Dim Sum, ranked as one of the top 10 Chinese restaurants in the U.S. by Chinese Restaurant News.
Celebrated chef Simon To has created limited-time signature dishes including live lobster with golden garlic and spicy; firecracker Manila clams infused with Chinese white wine, fish paste and spicy roasted pepper; and a Buddha feast creation of sauteed seasonal vegetables with ginger juice.
Guests can also enjoy refreshing infusions including a chamomile and lychee ice tea, green tea with rosemary, chili and lemon and the signature Dragon Cocktail made with vodka, ginger liqueur, lime, a sprig of tarragon, lemongrass syrup and lemon rind. These refreshing libations will be served at each of bars and lounges at The Venetian and The Palazzo.
The Chinese New Year decor and specialty food and beverage offerings will be available through the end of February.
The Details
The Palazzo
www.palazzo.com
The Venetian
www.venetian.com
