Lunar New Year dates back over 3,000 years ago in Asia; originlly an agricultural festival at the end of winter and beginning of the spring planting season. The celebrations in Greensboro have come and gone, but this past Saturday, Lexington, NC, held their first Lunar New Year Festival. It was a collaborative event between Arts Davidson and Shoto Japanese. The above photo was taken on Main Street, just before events becan inside the cultural arts building. The women on stilts have on their moon wings spread and their red pants hiding the stilts. Red is the color so closely associated with Lunar New Year. The young child in the middle captured our hearts. She hopped in for a picture with so much confidence and pride.

While this isn’t a photo of Greensboro, it does show you just how much fun one can have visiting all of the many small towns around Greensboro and Guilford County. Plus, so many people in Greensboro have connections to Davidson County. If you make a day trip to Lexington, remember, there are plenty of good barbecue restaurants. All North Carolinians owe it to ourselves to try barbecue, slaw, and hush puppies throughout the state. Recipes for all three vary widely. The red slaw at the Lexington Barbecue Center is finely chopped slaw and is delicious– as are the barbecued meats.

Happy Monday!