Lunar New Year celebrations will be largely virtual events this year. That’s more bad news for Chinatown USA

Friday marks the start of Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year. The 15- to 23-day celebration is usually big business for Chinatown communities in cities across the United States. But in a pandemic, this year’s Lunar New Year is expected to be a bust for Chinatown.The annual affair is traditionally celebrated with banquet-hall gatherings and gift-giving. Fireworks shows, dragon dances and parades attract huge crowds to Chinese communities — typically generating about 30% of annual revenue for restaurants and stores that are now struggling to stay in business because of the pandemic, according to multiple Chinese business leaders.Because of Covid-19 concerns and government restrictions, many Lunar New Year celebrations will be virtual this year.

By Chauncey Alcorn, CNN Business