The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, is a centuries-old tradition marking the end of winter and the beginning of the new year with the arrival of a new moon. The 15-day celebration begins Wednesday.

The Year of the Wood Snake has arrived, and Chicagoans all over town are preparing to celebrate the new year in the coming weeks. Naturally, now is as good a time as any to patronize the many excellent restaurants in Chicago’s Chinatown and the Vietnamese stretch of spots known as Asia on Argyle in Uptown.

Each year, hundreds of people fill the streets of Chicago’s Chinatown and Uptown neighborhoods to celebrate the Lunar New Year with parades featuring vibrant colors, festive floats and