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Deets: Chinatown will ring in the Lunar New Year on Monday, February 16 with Midnight Madness, a late-night celebration hosted by the 1882 Foundation and the DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID). Beginning at 11:30pm, lion dancers will take to the streets of Chinatown to bless the local businesses and spread luck to the community. 

Midnight Madness will mark the official arrival of the Year of the Fire Horse, bringing residents and visitors together for a powerful cultural moment to honor fresh beginnings, prosperity, and good fortune - and the resilience, strength, and unity of communities and the city. For Midnight Madness, the Hung Ci Lion Dance Troupe will lead the walk around Chinatown, as participating businesses will receive red envelopes and lettuce to feed the lions as a part of the “Chong Cheng” tradition, which symbolizes spreading wealth and warding off the negative spirits. 

The lion dancers will start at the 1882 Foundation Office, move down 8th Street, then 7th Street, and end at Anthem Row. 

Hint for the Average Socialite: This event is free and open to the public. If the public wants to follow the lion dance through the streets and to local businesses, they are encouraged to meet at the 1882 Foundation Office at 508 I St NW, Washington DC at 11:30pm on February 16th. No RSVPs are needed. Light refreshments from Beans 'n' Bánh Mì will also be provided for attendees at the 1882 Foundation.