Nearly 200 people, many dressed in traditional Chinese New Year red, gathered for the Gom Benn Village Society’s 2026 Lunar New Year Banquet April 17 at the NBC Seafood Restaurant in Monterey Park.
The evening began with a literal bang, with a lion dance troupe kicking off festivities, bringing good fortune, “eating” red envelopes (lai see) filled with lucky money to spread prosperity, and pounding on drums to loudly scare off evil spirits – and a few of the youngsters.
Elenis Wong and her mother Jean served as the emcees, welcoming the Year of the Horse. The new year celebration, which is expected to be an annual event, was organized by Gom Benn Village Society Vice President Courtney Lewis, and a committee that included Shirley Hoskin, Tony Lau and Andrea Young.
The evening’s other highlights included “lei sees” for our seniors, the popping of balloon firecrackers for the younger attendees, and raffles with opportunities for everyone to win prizes.
The revitalized Gom Benn Village Society is planning to host more events in the coming months – and also looking forward to another successful Lunar New Year banquet next year.
Below is a gallery of photos taken at the banquet. (Recognizable images of youngsters were not included to protect their privacy.)
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