First Superbowl in Las Vegas
This February in 2024, Las Vegas will once again be hosting not one but three events simultaneously, unprecedented for any city in the world including the first Superbowl to be played in Sin City at Allegiant Stadium.
Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas NV in February 2024
Super-Week in Vegas
We here at Kung Fu Plaza Restaurant has decided to call this fabulous week beginning on February 8, 2024; “Super-Week”. Kicking off Super-week we will be hosting a traditional lion dance ceremony performed by the Lohan school of Shaolin. The martial artist at Lohan has performed their legendary lion dance ceremony at numerous special events and for many Hollywood productions, the most notable one is in the 2001 Motion Picture blockbuster production of “Rush Hour 2”, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. This ritual will be a great pre Kick off ceremony to Superbowl LVII, and a great precursor to Saint Valentines day.
It is a historical time for any city in the world to be hosting three major events with origins spanning three world continents; Asia, Europe and North America, all held within a one-week time period. Starting on Saturday February 10th, the Lunar NewYear or Chinese New Year celebrations will be happening all throughout the world especially in Las Vegas. The city of Lights, will be Entering the Dragon followed the next day by Superbowl LVII, and not to be undone, a few days later, Saint Valentines Day on February 14th. For the associates and Patrons of Las Vegas’s oldest and most authentic Thai and Chinese Restaurant we will be kicking off Super-Week with the traditional Chinese Lion Dance.
Lion Dance in Chinatown Las Vegas
Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant, once again will be presenting the traditional Lion dance, performed by the marital artist from the Lohan School of Shaolin on February 8, 2024 at the hour of 16:15 (4:15 p.m. PT) at the front entrance of the diner located at 3505 S. Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89103, which is just ½ mile west of the Sphere™ right off the Fabulous Las Vegas “Strip”. We have chosen February 8, 2024, because it will effectively be Lunar New Year Eve in Asia at that time, and by ringing in the Chinese New Year right at the very first kick off, with a traditional Lion Dance ritual, the timing of the celebration will undoubtedly bring a better New Year to those present.
Lion dance in Las Vegas at 3505 S. Valley View Blvd and Sring Mountain Road circa 2020.
Lohan School of Shaolin marital artist will start the Lion dance ceremony after a short prayer in front of the restaurant. After the orchestra and drummers start pounding away, the artist will start “waking up the Lion” so to speak. The lion, which consist of two highly trained martial artist, will be mimicking a wild Lion’s natural movement, which is executed without error, by the Lohan artist, whose many years of training enables them to perform this ancient ritual along with its unique style and prowess. As the lion wakes up and starts entering the restaurant, the orchestra will start to follow up until the front door. The Lion will then make its way throughout the entire floorplan of the restaurant sniffing out bad energy and then through their precise movement along with the loud orchestra and banging of the cymbals and drums, proceed to release the bad energy’s presence in the restaurant driving out the dark forces compelling them vacate the area.
Chinese style drum used in Lunar New Year Lion Dance ceremony.
The lion dance ceremony is an important part to the Chinese New Year celebrations especially in Vegas. It is believed that by releasing the wicked energy at the start of the Lunar New Year, tradition has it that a person could then start from scratch, from a clean slate, much like taking a shower after a whole days work. We all have to take a shower to wash away all the dirt and grime accumulated throughout the day, so you would be clean while you rest, and prepare for the next day. The same type of ritual is practiced at Chinese New Year, albeit one could say it’s a metaphysical shower; by attending a Traditional Lion Dance an attendee is in essence cleansing their metaphysical aura of bad, evil spirits, so that your fortune, and luck in the new Lunar New Year will start off clean and fresh, without any leftover bad energy, dirt, or grime trying to keep you down, and miserable, left off from last year’s evil filth.
RED invades Las Vegas
When Super-week kicks off on February 8, 2024, Las Vegas will be turning RED for the entire week, as the City celebrates the start of Chinese New Year, Superbowl LVIII, and Saint Valentines Day. Not to be undone, its no coincidence that both the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers both have the color RED as part of their team colors and jerseys. Red symbolizes; fire, vigor violence and warfare in the West, it also symbolizes Good fortune and Joy, and prosperity in the East, especially during Chinese New Year. As the human heart is the color red, so goes the color RED for Valentines Day, for which the symbolism represents Love, which is also the color of a women’s favorite flower, a RED rose, whose Venus the Roman goddess of love’s favorite flower.
San Francisco 49ers Fans
Chinese New Year Feast
The first day of the Lunar New Year most celebrators will be ordering the traditional Teo-Chew style Roast Duck stew, a great dish to share with family and friends, along with vegetarian dishes for those whose traditions mandate a pause from eating anything containing meat on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Featured on PBS’s “No Passport Required” Las Vegas, starring Celebrity Chef; Marcus Samuelson, Kung Fu restaurants Stewed Roast Duck dish is popular among our Thai and Chinese diners. Patrons throughout the world have come to Kung Fu Thai & Chinese restaurant to enjoy this ancient traditional dish. Below is an example of what a typical family of 8 feasts on Chinese New Year at Kung fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant.
Salted and Fried Prawns with Head
Chinese Broccoli with Crispy Pork belly
Founded in 1974, Kung Fu Plaza restaurant is the oldest and most authentic Thai & Chinese restaurant in Las Vegas, NV. We are open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday thru Tuesday with a Pause on Wednesday. A complete menu can be viewed and downloaded at: http://www.kungfuplaza.com/online-menu . Kung Fu Plaza is open for Lunch and Dinner where guests are welcomed to Dine in, Order Take-Out, have us Cater your next event, or have your next meal Delivered by our in house delivery staff. We are located at 3505 S. Valley View Boulevard, which is just ½ mile west of the Sphere™ next to the Las Vegas Strip, where patrons have access to a full bar along with beer and wine. For reservations, call 702-247-4120. The average entrée is $15 and most patrons order family style.
Sphere in Las Vegas seen at night.