Allegheny County’s fastest-growing demographic celebrates Lunar New Year

To help launch the Year of the Rabbit, Rich Fitzgerald provided a reminder of an applicable demographic trend.

“For the first time in 60 years,” he said, “Allegheny County grew again in population. And the reason is an 80% increase in our Chinese-American population.”

Fitzgerald, the county’s executive, addressed the audience at Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala on Jan. 21 — the actual New Year’s Eve on the lunisolar Chinese calendar, with origins that date back to the eighth century B.C. — in the Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University.

The gala, organized by the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center, moved Downtown for 2023 after previous celebrations were held in the northwestern part of the county, including at North Allegheny High School.

“I love this event, because what it really does is it brings multiple generations together,” Fitzgerald said. “We see parents and grandparents and children learning about the culture, talking about the wonderful performers we’re going to see.”

State Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-West View, had joined Fitzgerald in attending past galas.

“I always enjoy so much seeing all of the performances. They’re always so beautiful,” Williams, whose district includes Hampton, said. “I want to say thank you and Happy New Year, and I wish you a joyous and happy Year of the Rabbit.”

The evening’s displays of artistic talent actually began in the Playhouse’s lobby with performers donning costumes for the traditional dragon lantern dance, symbolizing positive attributes such as wisdom, prosperity, health and protection.

Inside the theater, the “dragons” interacted with audience members, distributing hóngbāo, red envelopes that represent good luck.

Guests subsequently were treated to more than a dozen vocal, instrumental, dance and dramatic performances, some featuring Point Park students and graduates.

“We are thrilled that all of you are here to help shine a light on what makes tonight and the year so special,” Michael Soto, the university’s acting president, said. “We are here to celebrate some of the many people who make this city, this state, this nation and our world great.”

According to Dave Jiao, a McCandless resident who serves as Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center chairman, more than 50 volunteers were involved in various capacities with the gala, which took about three months’ worth of preparation.

His organization has another major event planned for September: the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival at Mellon Park in Shadyside and Point Breeze, featuring a full day of performances and plenty of cuisine to sample.

Jiao said that the festival started in 2015 and was so successful that it led to the formation of the cultural center, a nonprofit organization that promotes the awareness of Chinese culture and appreciation of cultural diversity, and facilitates assimilation of Chinese immigrants into the Pittsburgh community.

For more information, visit www.pghccc.org and www.facebook.com/pghccc.