Still reeling from New Year’s Eve? Don’t pack up the party just yet: The Year of the Ox won’t commence until midnight Jan. 26, kicking off 15 days of Chinese New Year festivities around the world. But it’s not just an excuse to get drunk and make resolutions; this is also the most important Chinese holiday of the year, a period of purging, bonding and ritual tied to the lunar and solar cycles of the earth. Of course, I’ll just get drunk. And I’m doing it at the Emerald Queen. The casino celebrates the Chinese New Year with a Tet/ Chinese New Year Celebration, a free event featuring a lion dance, comedian Nhu Nguyen and, of course, a mystery envelope giveaway where seven lucky winners will walk away with $1,000 in cash. That has to be enough to buy an ox.



Then Saturday, Feb. 7, the New Year celebration goes Tonga with the Asia Pacific Cultural Center’s version at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Center. While the food, dance, music and vendors will encompass the entire Asian Pacific community, Tonga receives a special nod this year. Grab more details at asiapacificculturalcenter.org.



[Emerald Queen Casino, Sunday, Jan. 25, 8:30 p.m., no cover, 2024 E. 24th St., Tacoma, 253.383.1572]

[Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall, Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., free, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma, 253.383.3900]