The Chinatown community gathers to welcome good health, prosperity, and harmony for the “Year of the Monkey.” Thousands will gather at a local temple to make offerings to the deities, set off firecrackers to awaken the spirits, and burn incense to usher in good fortune for the new year. Participants includes lion dancers, Buddhist and Taoist monks, the heads of family associations, and many others from the Southern California Chinese community. This tradition takes place on the eve of Chinese New Year’s Day and is typically followed by several days of return visits to the temple for blessings and public celebrations.