Under the bright lights of the Ascend Innovations-designed stage, Yangsen Li, chair of the Chinese Spring Festival and CEO of LCH Developments, thanked Jamaica’s massive Chinese community, the Montego Bay social set, government officials, and guests from across the island for joining him on Sunday, February 15, on the grounds of the city’s most anticipated real estate development — The Pinnacle — to fête The Year of the Fire Horse.

“Happy Lunar New Year,” said Li. “Thank you for being here tonight. When I look around this room, I feel something very deep. I don’t just see a celebration. I see history. I see journeys. I see lives that crossed oceans and somehow found each other here. I see Chinese faces and Jamaican faces… elders who built their lives brick by brick… children who will never have to choose between identities — because they already belong to both. This is the Jamaica we built together.”

While a Year of The Horse procession, presented by Chukka Caribbean Adventures, kicked off the Debbie Bissoon-emceed programme, there was, too, a welcome by students of the Mount Alvernia High School & Heinz Simonitsch School. The gathering also enjoyed musical selection from A Touch of Classical Infusion child musicians Tianna & Grace Li, Kaleb Young and Alex Grey. The biggest onstage moment, however, was reggae rock soul singer Tessanne Chin’s 9:00 pm set in the rain. Close to midnight, it was time for one more grand celebration: An over-10-minute long fireworks display to wrap the evening.

Photos: Aceion Cunningham

From left: LCH Developments CEO Yangsen Li; his daughter Vivian; LCH Developments Chairman Ziping Chen; Digicel Jamaica General Manager, Consumer-Mobile and Digicel+ Kristalle Chin; and Digicel Jamaica CEO Stephen Murad (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Master of ceremonies Debbie Bissoon (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Reggae-rock soul singer Tessanne Chin delivered a string of hits. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

K One exec Coco Huang was also out for the new year celebrations. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Coldfield Manufacturing Ltd founders Ian (right) and Brenda Wong, and their managing director son Brett (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

LCH Developments CEO Yangsen Li (centre) was flanked by ARC Manufacturing Limited founder and Executive Chairman Norman Horne (left) and Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)