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Chinese New Year in Oriental, 2013
Dragon Run & Dragon Boat Dinner
February 13, 2013

O
riental continued its tradition of dragon running to welcome a new year. Sunday afternoon, February 10, Oriental’s Chinese dragon and a crowd of a few hundred helped to ring in the 2013 Chinese New Year – the year of the snake – with a dragon run down Hodges Street.

Dragon’s head above Hodges Street in Sunday’s Chinese New Year, ringing in 2013 and the Year of The Snake.

This was the third year that the town has celebrated not only the January 1 New Year but also the date-shifting new year of the Chinese lunar-based calendar. This year, it fell on February 10 and the sunny afternoon found the dragon and its troupe of handlers, drummers and fan-wielding children parading near the harborfront.

While the dragon drew eyes upward, children who were part of the parade held umbrellas.
The Chinese Dragon passes Oriental’s harbor in Sunday’s 2013 Chinese New Year dragon run.

Children distributed fortune cookies at the event and afterward, on the nearby grounds of the Oriental Marina, 150 people had a Chinese New Year Dinner. It was a first time in the three years of the dragon run that a dinner had been organized.

One new feature this year: the kids wove in and out of the dragon handlers as they came down Hodges Street.
For many of the children, it was their third Chinese New Year dragon run.

The fundraiser for the Oriental Dragon Boat Club made $668 to help pay for the $10,000 dragon boat acquired for its members to practice in. The Oriental Dragon Boat Race, drawing teams from across the state and region, is the village’s next big dragon-centric event. It is planned for August 11.

Sigrid Overcash hoisting the ball baton,which the dragon tried at times to bite.
Clearing a path, and providing a rhythm section for the dragon: The Drummin’ Dragons Drum Circle (Who stretched out in to a line for the occasion.)

The meal was a tad delayed in starting because the caterers, China Garden restaurant in New Bern, began to drive towards Morehead City. They got several miles down US 70 to James City when Dragon Boat Club organizers Jeff Aydelette and Flora Moorman steered them toward Oriental.

In the end though, 150 folks were able to cap off their dragon run with a Chinese meal.

There were fans of the dragon and fans for the dragon….

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The red dragon and the red roof of the Village Gallery on Hodges Street.
The dragon on one of its passes by The Bean.
Emmy James was among the umbrella bearers.
Paula Beattie’s hat and the festooned porch of The Bean, gave still more of an Asian air to the event.
The shadow of the dragon fell across the crowd watching from in front of The Bean.
Pink umbrella to welcome the red dragon.
Sigrid Overcash leading the way.

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Eric Kindle puts the dragon through some dizzying moves…
The dragon, with its handlers, on Hodges Street, approaching the crowd clustered near the Town Dock.
The dragon, having reached the end of Hodges Street near Wall and Factory, turned tail and came back down Hodges.
Drummin’ Dragons Roger Cordes, Ken Laser and the rest beat out a retreat for the dragon as they and the dragon team worked their wayback up Hodges Street.
It may be the year of the Snake, and there was a dragon about to run back down Hodges Street, but it was two little dogs that caught the eye of kilted photographer, Brian Dodds.
Charlie Overcash, who two years ago arranged for Oriental to have a second dragon. It wasn’t originally in the game plan to have it celebrate Chinese New Year, but like some of the town’s traditions, this one just evolved.
Tracy Petersen had the reddest boots while also sporting the silk and brocade that was seen on other dragon run spectators.

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The Chinese New Year 2013 Dragon Handling crew, just before Sunday’s dragon run down Hodges Street.
Thar were dragons to spare. Pat Dixon wore one in her hair..
About a dozen children dressed up to play their role in the dragon run. Here, they posed for a photo beforehand.
The dragon — and its lead human, Eric Kindle — reach high.
Snake handling or snake whispering? Ken Laser, one of the Drummin’ Dragons rhythm troupe, adjusted his Year of the Snake-wear before the dragon run.
The dragon run helped usher in what is, in the Chinese calendar, the year of the Snake. Grace Evans found an accessory that spoke to both those creatures: a boa-style scarf with dragon puppets at both ends.

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Post-parade, Victoria Sylvester and Jaden Wong made the rounds handing out fortune cookies after the dragon run.
One of the two dogs that Ben Reese and Tonya Smith dressed up for the occasion….
Oriental’s top — and only — cop, Dwaine Moore accessorized with a paper dragon for the parade.
Cool hats. Paula and Chuck Beattie say they bought the hats a few years ago to keep the sun off while on the water. They also went well with their silken robes. They report seeing some folks go back home to find their own robes to wear.
The tail end. Dragon in the air just a bit longer as it neared Hodges and South Water as the 2013 Chinese New Year dragon run wound down.

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Dragon boat bow and its distinctive dragon head. This boat was acquired last year so the Oriental Dragon Boat Club could practice for races. The dinner on the grounds of the Oriental Marina was a fundraiser to defray some of the boat’s $10,000 pricetag.
Dragon boat’s aft end. The dinner raised $668 toward paying for the $10,000 boat.
The tent where the Chinese New Year dinner was held.
Jennifer Yang of China Garden announcing the food was ready (folks were hungry)…
Jeff Aydelette, serving up dinner.
Cindy Jobell Ellis, Elizabeth Buckman and Jeff Aydelette filling plates on the food line. In silhouette, paddles for the dragon boat racing. The Chinese New Year Dinner was a fundraiser for the Oriental Dragon Boat Club’s purchase of its own dragon boat.
The next dragon-based event, Saturday August 10, the 2013 Oriental Dragon Boat Festival.

Posted Wednesday February 13, 2013 by Melinda Penkava


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