On Feb. 13, children and their parents braved the rain to come out and participate in the inaugural Children’s Parade and Contest, organized by the Northwest Asian Weekly and sponsored by Panda Express. Of the nearly 80 participants, there were 20 finalists who received tickets from the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, and Woodland Park Zoo. The three winners got tickets and $50, $30, and $20, respectively, from the parade sponsors.

Contestants of the Children’s Parade wait for the parade to start outside of Northwest Asian Weekly’s news building on Feb. 13. (Photos by George Liu/NWAW)

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By Amy Phan
Northwest Asian Weekly

The year of 2010 yields a promising 365 days for the metal tiger. A vigorous, hardworking, and roller-coaster kind of year, the forecast is anything but boring. Individuals born in the year of the tiger are known for their love of competition and fierce protection of loved ones. Though they are natural born leaders, they can also become stubborn if they realize they’re not in charge. Read the full story

By Ryan Pangilinan
Northwest Asian Weekly

For many people who grew up in an Asian American household, the Lunar New Year was always celebrated, whether by going out to a restaurant or watching the annual parade. Despite many cultural differences, the collective wishes and hopes for a community bubbles up during this time of the year.  Read the full story

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Snoqualmie Casino, in partnership with Kevin Stewart Productions, organized the Miss Northwest Asian Pacific Contest, a cultural pageant. It took place on Jan. 16 at the Snoqualmie Casino.

The goal of the event was to bring all Asian ethnicities together and share in the uniqueness of each respective culture.

Of the many women who auditioned, 24 contestants were chosen. The top eight winners earned monetary prizes that ranged from $500 to $5,000 while the rest of the contestants received $100.

The contestants modeled traditional gowns, evening gowns, and sportswear.

CAPTIONS: 1. Contestants of the Miss Northwest Asian Pacific Contest pose in the traditional gowns of their respective cultures. 2. Yuanyuan “Carol” Sykes (second place). 3. Pia Gillan smiles after she is crowned the winner. 4. Pia Gillan 5. Jenny Kim Nguyen (sixth place) 6. Kathryn Ngo (seventh place) 7. Rebecca Chung (third place) 8. Trang “Amy” Nguyen (fifth place) 9. ToQuynh Truong (fourth place) 10. Alam Park (eighth place)

Photos by Kevin Stewart Productions

By Tiffany Ran
Northwest Asian Weekly

The Lunar New Year ushers in the year of the tiger, one of the most dynamic signs in Chinese astrology. The tiger is a dynamic sign because of its unpredictable nature. Read the full story

By Stacy Nguyen
Northwest Asian Weekly

The CIDBIA isn’t pulling any punches. For its annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Feb. 13, it has teamed up with Northwest Asian Weekly to create an entirely new event: a children’s parade and contest. (Shown above: Children at 2009’s Lunar New Year Celebration.) (Photos by George Liu/NWAW)

For Maribeth Ellis, executive director of the Chinatown/International District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA), watching the never-before-seen throngs of families who packed themselves into the International District (ID) for last year’s Lunar New Year Celebration, which CIDBIA organized, was a moment of triumph. Last year was the first year the celebration was held outside of King Street Station and into the ID. Read the full story

This year, the CIDBIA has come up with a new way to engage kids and bring more families into the ID for its lunar new year event on Feb. 13.

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By Assunta Ng
Northwest Asian Weekly

If you think Christmas is just about religion, you are missing out on a lot.

I don’t go to church on Christmas Day, but I take the holiday spirit of giving, kindness, joy, unity, forgiveness, and sharing very seriously. Read the full story

Graphics by Stacy Nguyen and Han Bui/NWAW

In this season of celebrating our good fortune and our good friends, warm thoughts and best wishes go out to you and your family.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

By Steven Cong
Northwest Asian Weekly

“As you know, we, the Korean people, have to have Thanksgiving with rice and kimchi,” said Paul Chunki Kim, a Korean American realtor in Puyallup. Read the full story

By Leslie Yeh
Northwest Asian Weekly

As is inevitable with most major holidays, Thanksgiving Day’s historical and cultural roots (dating more than 350 years ago) have long been traded in for cross-cultural exposure and mass marketing in the United States. Though it may sound bad, it has its advantages. Read the full story