SANTA MONICA—Pacific Park will celebrate the Lunar New Year on the Pacific Wheel with a special light program from Friday, January 24 until Sunday, January 26. The program will begin in the evening at around 5 PM and play throughout the night.
Each year in the traditional Chinese calendar coincides with one of the 12 characters of the Chinese zodiac. The 12 zodiac animals are, in order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. A Rat year occurs every 12 years and has occurred this year in 2020.
The Ferris wheel will ignite red and gold, feature lunar icons, messages, and display images of the Lunar Rat. The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between January 21 and February 20.
In 2020, the first day of the Chinese New Year will be on Saturday, January 25 initiating the Year of the Rat. Each of the zodiac characters is associated with different traits and trends for those born in that year. In Chinese culture, rats represent working diligently and thriftiness.
The light program begins at sundown nightly and can be closely viewed from the beaches south of the Pier, Palisades Park north of the Pier, or from the Pier boardwalk past Pacific Park. For visitors unable to attend the celebration, the Pacific Wheel is live-streamed at pacpark.com/live.
