Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s annual Celebrate Lunar New Year festival is back on March 1 to ring in the Year of the Horse.
The all-day celebration will feature an array of lively performances and creative activities that engage the whole family in Lunar New Year traditions. The festival is presented with New York Chinese Cultural Center and the Chinatown Community Young Lions, and in partnership with NYC Council Member Susan Zhuang.
Throughout the day, visitors can: participate in many different Chinese traditions from the famous Lunar New Year lion dance to a kung-fu workshop; settle in for a special storytime with authors Yobe Qiu and Michele Wong McSween; practice their calligraphy skills with artist Nelson Leung; and experience a variety of performances including a youth choir, Chinese folk music, and classical dance pieces.
“The horse represents bravery, courage, and change in the Chinese zodiac, which are qualities we work to nurture in every child who walks through our doors,” said Atiba T. Edwards, president and chief executive officer of Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
This year’s festival features programs that include:
Year of the Horse Calligraphy Workshop
10:15am – 12:15pm, 1:30pm – 5:00pm
Step into the museum's ColorLab Art Studio to learn about and create your own Chinese calligraphy using brush and ink. Artist Nelson Leung will share his work, guide the project, and explain the significance of Chinese calligraphy.
Storytelling with author Yobe Qiu
10:45am – 11:15am
Meet author Yobe Qiu and participate in an interactive reading of Yobe’s book, Our Lunar New Year. This program includes an introduction to Lunar New Year traditions and customs, followed by an art-making activity.
Traditional Dance and Musical Performances
11:30am – 12:0pm, 1:30pm – 2:00pm, 2:45pm – 3:15pm
Join the New York Chinese Cultural Center in the auditorium to discover the traditions of Lunar New Year. This 30-minute program features a variety of performances including a youth choir, Chinese folk music, and classical dance pieces.
Intro to Kung Fu
12:15pm – 12:45pm
Get an up-close demonstration of Kung Fu, presented by martial artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center. Following the presentation visitors are invited to take part in a hands-on workshop that introduces kung fu and teaches basic stances, strikes, and other techniques.
Traditional Lion Dance
12:45pm – 1:15pm, 3:30pm – 4:00pm
Participate in a traditional lion dance to bring luck in the new year. Performers from the Chinatown Community Young Lions will lead this parade with full-scale, authentic lion dance costumes!
Storytelling with author Michele Wong McSween
3:00pm – 3:30pm
Hear stories read aloud by children’s book author Michele Wong McSween, creator of Gordon & Li Li, the first-ever Mandarin bilingual book series.
Rovin’ Round the Moon
10:30am – 1:00pm, 2:30pm – 5:00pm
Why does the moon have spots? Investigate the craters of the moon in the museum's STEM makerspace and learn how scientists build robotic explorers to study unknown terrain. Build your own moon rover, then test their four-wheel drive – will your rover successfully cross the surface of the moon?
