HOUSTON, Feb. 21 -- A downtown park in the U.S. city of Houston was permeated with a festive mood on Saturday as thousands of weekenders gathered to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The Texas Lunar Festival, 19th in a row and the largest of its kind in the Lone Star state, was held in Discovery Green Park in downtown Houston Saturday.

Despite drizzles and clouds, several thousand Houstonians joined the annual celebration. People of nearly all ethnicities living in the fourth largest U.S. city crammed the park for a taste of an ancient festivity.

"Happy New Year" was written in multiple languages on a show backdrop, including Chinese, English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean. Quite a few were wearing traditional Chinese clothes of Chi-pao or Tang suit. The blare of Chinese folk music filled the air.

Vendor and food booths were lined up around the park's green fields and the festival has a packed schedule of events throughout the day, including traditional Chinese dances, musical performances and a fashion show.

Houston Mayor Anise Parker, among a slew of local dignitaries attending the opening ceremony, spoke about the purpose of holding the festival in downtown Houston.

"We have many Lunar New Year events across the community, but we are one Houston. And it was time to have one family event, a Pan-Asian event to bring all of us together down to our premier festival park, Discovery Green, so that we can celebrate as one community, as one family," said Parker.

Chinese Consul General in Houston Li Qiangmin also extended his new year wishes to Houston residents in a stage remark.

The event was hosted by Southern News Group, a multi-media communications company that publishes daily Chinese newspapers.