The DART Board: 01.23.2025
Lunar New Year 2025, the year of the Wood Snake, begins January 25 and ends on February 12.
This 15-day festival celebrates the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac, who is characterized by creativity, adaptability, and long-term planning—all the elements that make for solid artistic practice! Following are some of the places where creativity is happening—and this doesn’t even include any of the special menus you’ll find in NYCs Chinatown restaurants!
Saturday, January 25: All day at The Met
The festival will honor Lunar New Year traditions from across Asia and feature artist-led workshops, performances, and interactive activities for participants of all ages. Events will take place throughout the Museum from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Performances: The festival will begin with a lion dance performance by the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute at noon. Sesame Street Muppeteers featuring Alan Muraoka will explore traditions of Lunar New Year (12:10–12:40 p.m., 1–1:30 p.m.), AAPI Jazz Collective led by Peter Lin will perform music from many Asian cultures (2–2:45 p.m., 3:30–4:15 p.m.), and the Lunar New Year Performance Showcase (3–3:30 p.m., 4–4:30 p.m.) will present the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute Lion Dance Team [below], a traditional fan dance from New York Korean Performing Arts Center, and a live vocalist and intergenerational dancers from the Vietnam Heritage Center.
Art Activities, Demonstrations, Talks and Storytelling: Attendees can create their own Prosperous Paper Chain Snakes and contribute to building a giant serpent celebrating the Year of the Snake. Author Hanh Bui will host a family-friendly Storytime reading both The Yellow Áo Dài and her new book, Ánh's New Word (12:10–12:40 p.m., 1–1:30 p.m.), and Chinatown bookshop Yu and Me will host a pop-up shop focusing on community and immigrant stories.
The full schedule of program with details is available on TheMet’s website in English, Korean, simplified Chinese, and Spanish.
In addition to the event, the museum has put together a small exhibition of objects from its collections (including the above plaque) called Celebrating the Year of the Snake, now on view in Gallery 207 through February 10.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY Info
Saturday, January 25, 11:30am-4:00 pm: Celebrate at Snug Harbor Cultural Center
The Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden on Staten Island is hosting its annual Lunar New Year celebration, with storytelling, treats, crafts and calligraphy, and hand puppet performances along with puppet-making workshops onsite. Attendees have been asked to wear red and gold for an auspicious start to the Year of the Snake!
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, xxxx, Staten Island, NY Tickets
Sunday, January 26, n2pm: LNY Papercut Decorations at Think! Chinatown
Get into the Lunar New Year spirit and make your own decorations in a hands-on workshop led by artist Ling Tang! In this workshop, you will explore the cultural history of Lunar New Year decorations, learn about the basics of of the traditional art form of papercutting, and make your very own decorations (lucky Chinese symbols, auspicious characters, and a snake!) using Ling’s beautifully designed templates.
During Lunar New Year, traditional household decorations like chuanghua are used to decorate your home's walls, windows, and doors. These red paper decorations invite good luck into the household and express happiness for the spring season. If this is your first time trying out paper cutting, this is the workshop for you! If you're looking for a slightly more advanced class, sign up for our level 2 workshop here. All LNY events here
Think! Chinatown Studio, 1 Pike Street, New York, NY Info/Tickets
Sunday, January 26, 12:45pm–4pm: LNY at Brooklyn Musuem
The Brooklyn Museum has partnered with Cool Culture and the Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club for a performance-based Lunar New Year celebration in conjunction with its ongoing Weekend Art Hangs. In addition to the watching the lion dance and meeting the performers, attendees can participate in a museum-wide bingo game and a paper snake art workshop. Free with museum admission.
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY Info
Saturday, February 1, 11am–5pm: LNY at South Street Seaport Museum
Participating in the neighborhood’s annual Lunar New Year celebration, the South Street Seaport Museum has partnered with the New York Chinese Cultural Center to not only offer free general admission on Saturday, February 1, but host two special workshops:
Join the Seaport Museum and skilled teaching artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center for one of three delightful 45-minute workshops exploring the art of Chinese Calligraphy and its importance to the Lunar New Year. While primarily designed for children ages 7–12, these workshops are open to all ages free.
The nautical influence on the paper lion chain crafts come from the signal flags sailors would use to convey messages to each other from a distance at sea. Both workshops are free, but an RSVP is recommended to save your seat. Register
While you explore the museum, stop by the introduction galleries to make a maritime-inspired spin on a Chinese Lion Chain craft. Come create your own unique lion chain decoration using paper links inspired by the colorful signal flags, which sailors use to communicate.
South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton Street, New York, NY Info
Sunday, February 2, 1–4pm: LNY at Queens Museum
The Queens Museum’s education team and visual and performing artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center come together to present a Lunar New Year celebration full of traditional dance performances, as well as art and crafts workshop for all ages and skill-levels to usher in a year of creativity, prosperity and transformation. Arrive early to get a seat.
1-2pm: Performance Program by New York Chinese Cultural Center by artists and students from NYCCC.
2-2:45pm Chinese Calligraphy Workshop by New York Chinese Cultural Center.
3-3:45pm Ink Brush Painting Workshop by New York Chinese Cultural Center.
2-4pm: Snake Celebrations: An Intergenerational Lunar New Year Workshop”
Queens Museum (queensmuseum.org), Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens. NY Info
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