Flushing Town Hall will host the wildly popular Chinese New Year Temple Bazaar for the second year in a row as part a two-week celebration of the Asian Lunar New Year.
The entire Lunar New Year celebration begins on Friday, Feb. 12, and continues until Sunday, Feb. 28. It marks the beginning of the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese Zodiac calendar.
According to Flushing Town Hall, the Chinese New Year Temple Bazaar drew more than 1,000 people in its first year. This year’s bazaar will be held in two sessions — at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. — on Saturday, Feb. 20, and is set to feature performances, martial arts, crafts and food.
A special lineup of Lunar New Year performances and events is also taking place at Flushing Town Hall in the weeks before and after the Chinese New Year Temple Bazaar.
Flushing Town Hall Executive and Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek said that the lineup provided a unique, cross-cultural experience bridging two growing Asian cultures in the borough – Korean and Chinese.
“Flushing Town Hall offers global arts for a global community, and our Lunar New Year celebration represents our mission to bring people together once again,” Kodadek said.
Performances include a Lunar New Year Dance sampler with demonstrations of dance from China, Korea, Taiwan, India and Mexico; a bamboo flute concert by renowned artist Han Chung Eun; and a seven-member jazz performance led by Chinese jazz vocalist and composer Annie Chen.
Children can learn about the traditions of Korean dances and masks during the Monkey Mask Craft & Dance Workshop. A separate workshop for children and adults is offered for anyone interested in using the art of calligraphy to decorate silk fans with messages of good fortune.
An Asian wedding dress exhibition featuring women’s and men’s traditional wedding dresses will be open for the duration of the Lunar New Year festivities. The display explores how different cultures define beauty and was curated by Dr. Hsing-Lih Chou of New York Institute of Culture and the Arts.
The tickets for various Lunar New Year events at Flushing Town Hall can be purchased here.
