Like an idiot, I forgot my camera, but I took these when we returned just so I could get a couple shots of Sophie in her pretty dress.
There were many families there, lots of kids. Most of them were under ten. I’m sure that once the kids reach puberty they probably stop wanting to attend stuff like this. All the kids were dressed in their finest. For Chinese New Year you’re supposed to wear new clothes in bright colors. James and I tried to honor that. He wore this red shirt and I wore a dress in bright colors. Sophie wore this outfit we bought in China for her.
There were arts and crafts and games. Sophie liked the trampoline and the small jungle gym the best. We had a nice dinner catered by a local Chinese restaurant and there were little dance classes (and some professional performances) by a Chinese dance teacher who teaches in a city not far from us. That was info tucked away by me, since Sophie LOVED the dance classes. She waved her arms, danced and twirled with all the other little girls and had a wonderful time.
But the highlight was the dragon parade. All the little girls took bits of red party streamer and followed behind a man dressed in a huge yellow and red dragon head. Sophie loves dragons with the passion of a thousand flaming suns and she positioned herself right behind him and marched along happily, smiling, laughing and waving her streamer, and yelling “MAMA, PAPA! DRAGGIE! DRAGGIE!” and pointing at the man in front of her.
It was a very nice night. 
Sophie didn’t want to leave, but, alas, then it was time to go.
