What:

The United States Postal Service will dedicate the Year of the Dog Forever stamp, the 11th of 12 stamps in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series during a special stamp unveiling ceremony at the Downtown Monterey Park. 

When:

11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018

Where:

Downtown Monterey Park
On Garvey Avenue between Garfield and Alhambra Avenues
Monterey Park, CA  91754

Background:

Considered the most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities around the world, the Lunar New Year is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan and Mongolian heritage.

In the United States and elsewhere, the occasion is marked in various ways, including parades featuring enormous and vibrantly painted papier-mâché dragons, parties and other special events. Vendors at outdoor markets sell flowers, toys, food and other items. Musicians play drums to celebrate a time of renewed hope for the future. Many families present red envelopes (hongbao) containing money to children and loved ones.

The Postal Service introduced this Celebrating Lunar New Year series in 2008 and will continue the series through 2019 with a stamp for the Year of the Boar. This is the second series honoring Lunar New Year.  The first ran in 1992 to 2007. Year of the Dog is being issued as a souvenir sheet of 12 self-adhesive Forever stamps. The public is asked to share the news of the stamp using the hashtag #LunarNewYear.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.