Gong Hei Fat Choy celebration in Hanalei Saturday

HANALEI — The Hanalei Business Association is welcoming the Year of the Tiger on Saturday at the Hanalei Center, with music starting at 4:30 p.m. and a dragon dance at 5 p.m.

The Lunar New Year began on Feb. 1, and is traditionally celebrated for about two weeks in China.

Liz Doyle, Hanalei Center property manager, represents the Hanalei Business Association, and organized the event with board member Nanea Marston, who owns Tahiti Nui.

Marston, who is member of Hanalei’s Chinese community, has typically brought in the New Year with firecrackers. She’s excited that HBA is bringing more festivities to Hanalei.

This is HBA’s first Lunar New Year’s event, but Doyle hopes it will become an annual event.

“We would like to just have a bigger gathering with more music, more people, and we hope to see this event will grow more and more every year,” Doyle said.

The event will be held on the Hanalei Center lawn. Social distancing and masking are encouraged. Community members are invited to bring beach blankets and lawn chairs to the event.

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Laurel Smith, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0424 or lsmith@thegardenisland.com.