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Hundreds gathered Tuesday afternoon at the Eden Center in Falls Church to welcome the Year of the Horse with Vietnamese traditions, performances and a celebration of cultural heritage.

The Vietnamese shopping center, home to more than 120 family-owned restaurants and stores, hosted a traditional flag-raising ceremony beneath a banner reading “Chúc mừng năm mới,” or “Happy Lunar New Year.” An exact replica of a clock tower in downtown Saigon overlooks the center.

Lion dancers performed amid firecrackers, drums and cymbals as families watched. Children received lì xì—small red envelopes containing “lucky money”—and many offered the money to the dancing lions for good fortune.

Thuylan Phan attended with her two young children and her father, who immigrated to the United States after the Vietnam War. She said community celebrations give children born in the United States or elsewhere an opportunity to learn about Vietnamese culture.

“This is what my dad grew up with when he was back in Vietnam,” Phan said. “And now we live here, and this is our home now, and it’s very nice to be able to witness and understand how my dad used to celebrate his Lunar New Year.”

Many of the lion dancers were local high school students. Minh Pham, an Eden Center organizer and Falls Church community member, said involving young people helps immerse them in Vietnamese traditions.

Kenneth Tang, 17, serves as a drummer and lead coordinator for his lion dance troupe. Moments after performing over firecrackers, he said he was exhausted, excited and left with ringing ears.

“It’s very tiring, but I believe it is very important for our culture, and it’s really fun,” Tang said. “We want to spread this culture throughout years, and I just hope that everybody gets to enjoy this tradition for years to come.”

Visitors also explored the Eden Center’s restaurants and shops, with many wearing áo dài, traditional Vietnamese garments whose name means “long dress.”

Calvin Dao attended with friends and said his Vietnamese-American family has lived around Falls Church since before he was born.

“To be able to be back in this area and celebrate my culture with my friends and my family, it’s an amazing experience, and it’s very dear to my heart,” Dao said.

The Eden Center is planning another event in May featuring its store and restaurant owners during the Year of the Horse, according to Pham. Organizers expect to share information about the center’s history along with recommendations from its businesses.