Lunar New Year events on Long Island
Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center will host The Long Island Chinese Dance Group on Feb. 11. Credit: Charles B. Wang Center/Jack Gambardella
Representing imperial power and authority, the Year of the Dragon begins Feb. 10 and is marked by celebrations including traditional dancing, musical performances, banquets, martial arts demonstrations and crafts and workshops.
“It’s always great to learn about other cultures and during Lunar New Year, people unfamiliar with this Asian celebration get a chance to,” says Patricia Shih, a singer/songwriter and volunteer for the Asian American Task Force in Huntington.
This year you'll also find an art contest to be exhibited at the Tilles Center in Brookville that calls on students grades K-12 to present the Lunar New Year in art form. Meng Li, deputy director of the Nassau County Office of Asian American Affairs and co-organizer of the art contest, regards the Lunar New Year as “a chance to unite Asian communities by focusing on shared traditions like the lion and dragon dances and the shooting of fireworks to frightened away evil in the world.”
Here are ways to ring in the Lunar New Year with friends and family:
Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Hauppauge
100 Veterans Memorial Hwy., Hauppauge
The celebration is hosted by the Suffolk County Asian American Advisory Board and includes performances by the Long Island Chinese Dance Group, Luminary Dance Studio and Stony Brook Chinese School dance class. You'll also hear songs by the Sound of Long Island Chorus, the Stony Brook Youth Chorus, music students from Mt. Sinai High School, Chinese zither by Jessie Chen and a voice solo by Jojo Feng and Arianna Yang, 6:15 p.m. Feb. 2 at the H. Lee Dennison Building. There will also be a variety of Asian American cuisines served from China, India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Vietnam, Philippines and Asian countries.
Cost Free
More info suffolkcountyaaab.org, 914-473-0206.
Eat Chinese delicacies in Melville
25 Melville Park Rd., Suite 72, Melville
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a wide range of Chinese delicacies, such as dumplings, spring rolls and sweet treats. Explore a lively market where you'll find traditional crafts, calligraphy and souvenirs for sale, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2.
Cost $35, $15 ages 12 and younger
More info eventbrite.com
Learn traditional Chinese dancing at The Heckscher Museum of Art
2 Prime Ave., Huntington
A young visitor gets ready for the Lion Dance during the Lunar New Year celebration at The Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington. Credit: The Heckscher Museum of Art
Celebrate and learn about Lunar New Year at this family event with a variety of hands-on activities, noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 3. Meet artist Joan Kim Suzuki, see traditional Chinese dancing by Wendi Weng and join Patricia Shih from the Town of Huntington Asian American Task Force and learn about Chinese culture with Shih’s Mobile Museum of authentic artifacts of history, art, culture and more. Guests can also create origami with Hansen Lee from the Town of Huntington Asian American Task Force.
Cost Free
More info heckscher.org, 631-380-3230
Create a dragon craft at the Long Island Children's Museum
11 Davis Ave., Uniondale
Visitors can make a dragon craft for the Lunar New Year at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Uniondale on Feb. 10. Credit: Long Island Children’s Museum
Make a dragon craft to celebrate the Lunar New Year, noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 10.
Cost Free with $17 museum admission, for ages 3 and up
More info licm.org, 516-224-5800
Sing and dance at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Library
999 Old Country Rd., Plainview
Lunar New Year celebration features music, dancing and performances, 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10.
Cost Free; open to all
More info poblib.org, 516-938-0077
Chinese New Year craft and book reading at Huntington Library
338 Main St., Huntington
Maria Wen Adcock of Huntington has written a children’s book called “It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George” (HarperCollins). Credit: Harper Collins
Join Maria Wen Adcock, author of "It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George" as she reads her book, 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 11. Guests will also create two Lunar New Year crafts including a dragon and a Fu symbol sign meaning fortune or good luck.
Cost Free; open to all, for grades K-5; registration required
More info myhpl.libnet.info, 631-427-5165.
Try paper cutting and see a dance performance at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center
100 Nicolls Rd., Stony Brook
In this workshop, explore the Chinese tradition of paper cutting with a focus on animals, flowers, plants and Chinese characters for auspicious signs, 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 11 at East Hall. “Fluttering Butterflies,” a Lunar New Year dance celebration in the theater, features performances by local dance groups including the Yana Ballet Dance Group and the Long Island Chinese Dance Group at 4 p.m.
Cost $20, $15 ages 6-12 for each event
More info thewangcenter.org, 631-632-4400
Make a paper lantern at the Vanderbilt Museum
180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon by making a paper lantern, learning calligraphy and about the Chinese zodiac and creating a good luck decoration, 10 a.m. to noon on Feb. 11.
Cost $20
More info vanderbiltmuseum.org, 631-854-5579
Have your artwork displayed at the Tilles Center, LIU-C. W. Post
720 Northern Blvd., Brookville
Children grades K-12 are invited to submit their artwork to illustrate the Year of the Dragon through Jan. 31, drop off locations include the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor and the Long Island Children's Museum in Uniondale.. The top 50 artworks selected will be exhibited at the Tilles Center on Feb. 24, initiated by the Nassau County Office of Asian American Affairs, festival runs noon to 7 p.m. Feb. 24; concert at 3 p.m. Activities include lantern crafts, balloon artists and sugar candy making.
Cost Free, must reserve tickets online
More info 516-572-2244, nassaucountyny.gov,
See a festive children's performance at Bryant Library
2 Paper Mill Rd., Roslyn
The event features traditional Chinese dance, contemporary dance, children’s performances and music by the Yixin Dance Center, Joy Arts Center and Musik Colab, 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 25.
Cost Free, open to all
More info bryantlibrary.org, 516-621-2240
Watch a dragon dance at the Landmark on Main Street
232 Main St., Port Washington
See a dragon dance at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater at the Landmark in Port Washington to celebrate Lunar New Year. Credit: Landmark on Main Street/Angelina Castro
Festivities begin at 11 a.m. Feb. 25, with crafts, food and entertainment, including a Lion Dance in Landmark's gym, sponsored by the Chinese Center of Long Island. At 2 p.m., there will be a live performance by the New York Chinese Chorus in the Jeanne Rimsky Theater.
Cost Free
More info landmarkonmainstreet.org, 516-767-6444
Attend a traditional dinner in Commack
1 Clubhouse Dr., Commack
The event includes a salute to honorees, Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine, Suffolk County district court judge Bernard Cheng, PBA Suffolk County president Lou Civello, also Kubra Isitan a community provider in Long Island Head Start. The dinner highlights Asian American leaders, community members and organizations. There will be a 15-course Chinese dinner and a traditional Lion Dance at 6 p.m. March 5 at the Hamlet Golf & Country Club.
Cost Tickets are $150 and must be purchased in advance and includes open bar cocktail hour, appetizers, sushi, dinner, raffle prizes and 50/50.
More info asianjade.org, 914-473-0206
