The 1st Annual Chinese New Year Celebration, sponsored by Planting Fields Foundation and the Long Island Chinese American Association (LICAA), will be held at Coe Hall on Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be cohosted by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The 2016 Lunar New Year marks the Chinese year 4,713, which is the Year of the Red Monkey. In Chinese tradition, red is regarded as a symbol of energy, happiness and good luck.
For the celebration, the rooms at Coe Hall will be decorated with more than 500 red Chinese lanterns. Red lucky envelopes with token money will be given to all children who attend. The red paper wrapping signifies a hope that happiness and fortune will come to the children.
Coe Hall will be decorated with the traditional fruits and flowers associated with Chinese New Year celebrations. Oranges look like the sun
and symbolize happiness. Orchids, displayed in fine blue-and-white Chinese ceramic vases, will be arranged in the rooms because in Chinese culture, they are considered symbols of nobility, friendship and refinement. Red peonies will also be on view.
There will be a special exhibition of rare old Chinese jades from Planting Fields Foundation’s collection, as well as performances and activities throughout the weekend.
Some of the activities include:
• Lion dance
• Face off, a Chinese opera stunt performance
• Martial arts performances, including tai chi
• Chinese traditional music, including zither
• Piano performances, Chinese traditional dances, including fans dance and group dance
• Chinese waist drums, Chinese traditional painting
• Hand puppet show (Monkey King in Journey to the West)
• Chinese calligraphy, including the Lunar New Year Spring Couplet
• Chinese traditional songs by the Long Island Chinese Chorus
• Talk of Chinese collectibles, including Jade
• Traditional holiday dress, including a qipao show
• Actors dressed in God of Wealth costumes to hand out red envelopes
• Chinese traditional paper cut arts demo
• Chinese holiday sculpture in flour
• Chinese Lunar New Year traditional activity illustration and demonstration
• Children’s crafts, including fan decorating, tangram puzzles, dragon masks and more
Presale tickets can be purchased at www.event brite.com/e/chinese-lunar-new-year-celebration-at-coe-hall-planting-fields-tickets-20955698057. Admission costs $10, including parking and all activities, though members of Planting Fields Foundation and children under 12 are free. For further information, contact Jennifer Lavella at 516-922-8678 or jlavella@plantingfields.org. In case of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20, and Sunday, Feb. 21. Check www.plantingfields.org for information.
