MGM Resorts International Rings in the Year of the Snake with Festive Displays and Experiences
MGM Resorts International is celebrating Lunar New Year 2025, the Year of the Snake, with a spectacular Bellagio Conservatory display, an exciting dragon and lion dance and delicious dining options.
The snake is the sixth animal in the Chinese Zodiac, symbolizing wisdom, intuition and transformation. Recognized as one of the most enigmatic animals in the 12-year cycle, individuals born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be insightful and charming, possessing a deep sense of introspection and resourcefulness.
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is ushering in the Year of the Snake with a vibrant holiday display, on view from January 11 through March 1. Brought to life by designer Ed Libby, in collaboration with the talented Bellagio Horticulture team, the exhibit immerses visitors in festive traditions, symbolic animals and a rich color palette, thoughtfully celebrating and honoring Asian culture. Each meticulously crafted bed highlights the serpent’s symbolism of intuition, transformation and charm.
“When designing this year’s Lunar New Year display, our goal was to highlight the serpent’s qualities of intelligence and grace while creating a space for visitors to embrace the joy and good fortune of the season,” said Libby. “This exhibit truly captures the elegance, power and pageantry of the Year of the Snake, inviting guests to celebrate its deeper meanings, the celebratory nature of the season and what’s to come in the new year.”
- West Bed: Two cheerful knick-knack peddlers, inspired by Chinese folklore, share whimsical stories and sell their wares, symbolizing creativity and new beginnings. Jubilant children and playful pandas frolic amid the bed’s elegant flowers and bamboo as fireworks light up the scene from above. A 30-foot-tall Banyan Temple, inspired by Guangzhou’s historic Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, showcases stunning architecture, while a nearby waterfall cascades into the pond below.
- North Bed: Honoring the Year of the Snake, a majestic 28-foot floral serpent stands tall in the center of the bed. Red and gold silk lanterns hang above, while a Koi fish fountain spouts water into a tranquil pond, reflecting nature’s balance and harmony. Guests will be immersed in a sensory experience featuring animated fireworks, curated music and the original holiday scent “Charisma,” with notes of white ginger and amber, available for purchase at The Giardini Store.
- East Bed: Playful pandas Bao and Mei, representing yin and yang, frolic beneath money trees adorned with 88 gold I-Ching coins, symbolizing good fortune. The center of the display pays homage to the lucky envelop tradition in which monetary gifts are given during the Lunar New Year to offer blessings and good luck to loved ones and friends. Known as “hongbao” in Chinese, the cherished custom dates back thousands of years.
- South Bed: Towering cherry blossom trees in soft pink and white hues symbolize renewal and the fleeting beauty of life, while vibrant koi fish glide gracefully through a tranquil pond, representing strength, resilience and prosperity. Surrounding the pond, intricate blue-and-white Qinghua porcelain sculptures pay homage to a revered Chinese art form with over a thousand years of history. Above, dazzling cloisonné cherry blossoms, meticulously crafted using a centuries-old Chinese technique, add an ornate touch. At the heart of the display, a striking 33-foot-tall porcelain pagoda hosts The Garden Table, offering a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
- The Garden Table: Guests can enjoy an epicurean journey at The Garden Table, an intimate, immersive dining experience nestled within the iconic Conservatory. In honor of Lunar New Year, The Garden Table is hosted within a 33-foot-tall pagoda, serving an exquisite dim sum lunch and dinner feast curated by Bellagio’s beloved Pan-Asian restaurant, Noodles. Dining options include the Eight Treasures Dim Sum Platter Lunch at $108/person or the Feast of Prosperity Dinner Set at $138/person. Both menu options are paired with dessert and select beverages.
- Reservations are required. To book and find more information, call 702.693.7075 or go online.
Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is complimentary and open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To learn more, please visit Bellagio’s website.
Bellagio Dragon & Lion Dance
A vibrant dragon and lion dance will commemorate the Year of the Snake at Bellagio on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the resort’s main valet. Yau Kung Moon will perform the dance in a traditional Southern Shaolin Kung Fu system – a collection of martial arts with more than 1,000 years of history – with a modern flair. Yau Kung Moon, which translates to “Style of Flexible Power,” is one of the world’s most respected martial arts and dragon and lion dance organizations. Known for its trademark gold uniforms and innovative routines, Yau Kung Moon has been recognized internationally for being the first U.S. team to compete in the 1990 Invitational World Lion Dance Festival in Malaysia.
MGM Resorts Culinary Specialties
Lunar New Year Food and Beverage Specials
Guests can embrace the lively spirit of Lunar New Year by indulging in seasonal dishes and specialty prix fixe menus masterfully curated by the MGM Resorts culinary teams. Year of the Snake offerings can be found at the following restaurants with full menus available here.
- Bellagio: Jasmine; Noodles; The Garden Table
- ARIA: Din Tai Fung
- MGM Grand: Joël Robuchon; Morimoto; Grand Wok Noodle Bar
- Park MGM: La La Noodle