One of Spokane’s first recorded Chinese Lunar New Year’s celebrations took place in January 1889. “Thousands of crackers were fired, bombs exploded and Chinese rockets were sent heavenward,” wrote a reporter. (The Morning Review, "The Fusillade of Fun") “Hundreds of people, attracted by the noise, blocked the streets.” The unifying event brought people “no matter what race” together for the festivities as they feasted and enjoyed the entertainment. The last Chinese Lunar New Year in Spokane was a much different event. It was 1933 and times were hard. No work meant no money and no money meant no fireworks. For 89 years, this is the sad note that the city left things on, but on February 5, Spokane will be celebrating the Lunar New Year again! The big event will take place at Riverfront Park and attendees can look forward to fireworks, artists, giveaways, food trucks, craft stations, live cultural performances, and more! The hope within the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community is not only to bring joyful Lunar New Year’s celebrations back to town, but to also bring to light Spokane's Asian history that many aren’t familiar with because it was buried and forgotten.
While parking in the lots for the Spokane Convention Center and INB Performing Arts Center, one might not guess they are standing in a historic location that once served as Spokane’s international district, commonly called Trent Alley, Japanese Alley, or Chinatown, from the 1880s to 1940s. Spokane’s Asian history can be traced back even further to the 1850s when Chinese workers first arrived to work on the railroads and mines. Japanese workers were imported to join the workforce in the 1880s and between them and the Chinese immigrants, Trent Alley was born. Hundreds of Asians lived and thrived within the small district, which was bordered by Spokane Falls blvd to the north, Bernard St to the east, Main Ave to the south, and Howard St to the west. Trent Alley had a mixed reputation for decades, some considering it an exotic attraction while others considered it to be a seedy part of town. In the early 1900s it started to become more reputable, as more Japanese families moved in and opened hotels, restaurants, markets, laundries, and more popular businesses. The decline of the district began in the 1920s when Japanese immigration was reduced and eventually banned altogether. With no new immigrants coming in and many Japanese moving back to Japan to reunite with their families, Trent Alley’s Asian community started to shrink. The Great Depression was an even greater blow to the neighborhood as the markets collapsed. There was a brief resurgence during WWII when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which sent approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps. Spokane was outside of the West Coast evacuation zone so their Japanese residents were never forced into relocating. Instead, their Japanese American population at least tripled when they became the closest refuge city for families evacuating from Seattle, Portland, and other cities within the west coast zone. After the war, many returned to Western Washington and Oregon, but a large portion remained in Spokane. By this point the Asian community had spread out into the suburbs and other affluent neighborhoods, while Trent Alley became just another run down and crime ridden area. It officially met its end when it was razed in the early 1970s as Spokane began its urban renewal project for Expo ‘74.
Having their history acknowledged and their traditions celebrated by the city provides healing and a sense of belonging for locals in the Asian community. “We are excited to bring a unifying celebration that not only celebrates the Lunar New Year but also provides the greater community an opportunity to share in an essential part of Asian culture and heritage,” said Vina Cathcart, the event committee chair. This is the Year of the Tiger and all are welcomed to join the festivities! The Lunar New Year event takes place on February 5 at Riverfront Park. It starts at 1 pm and the first 500 guests will receive a swag bag full of goodies for the new year. The event ends at 7 pm with a fireworks show finale! For more information go to www.SpokaneUnitedWeStand.org.