Ring In The Lunar New Year At One Of These Great Events

Gung Hey Fat Choy!

Courtesy of Bob Dea (betterchinatown.com)

This is the common Chinese way of saying “Happy New Year!” Like most rituals across ethnic communities, Chinese New Year is a festival for the family. However, this tradition has become a global celebration and regardless of your ethnic background, celebrating the exciting Lunar New Year is a tradition that anyone can partake in. NYC has a multitude of events that are open to the public, which will engage families as they discover the history of this remarkable Chinese holiday, and capture your imagination through vivid and lively experiences. Below we have compiled a list of family-friendly events where families can enjoy traditional Chinese New Year experiences and make memories to last the rest of the year.

Battery Park City Library: Light up the Lunar New Year with your kids at an afternoon workshop hosted by Battery Park City Library. Kids will enjoy this hands-on workshop as they learn to make their own Chinese lanterns, the origins and history of these ancient Chinese lanterns, and use their lanterns to celebrate the Lantern Festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar Chinese calendar! Get there early because first come, first served. January 25 from 4-7pm. Price: Free. Age: 5-12. 175 North End Avenue. nypl.org

Flushing Town Hall: Start the celebration of this tradition with the Flushing Town Hall’s 3rd annual Chinese New Year Temple Bazaar! This event introduces the century old tradition of Chinese in China celebrating the Lunar New Year in temple fairs to NYC. Bring your family to enjoy performances, martial arts, food and more to celebrate the Year of the Rooster. The Temple Bazaar is offered in two sessions (11am to 1am and 2 to 4pm), and your ticket admits you to the timed session of your choice. Get your tickets before it’s too late! Come out at 9:30 am to witness the dragon parade at Flushing Library. January 28 from 11am to 1pm or 2pm to 4pm. Price:$5/$3 members & children (per session), Free for teens ages 13-19 with ID. 137-35 Northern Blvd. flushingtownhall.org

Sara D. Roosevelt Park: What better way to ring in the first day of the Lunar New Year than with firecrackers! Bring the entire family to Sara D. Roosevelt Park on January 28 to enjoy cultural festivities representing the upcoming Chinese New Year. Make sure to get there at noon for the firecracker kick-off! Your kids will love the colorful, popping fireworks. You especially don’t miss out on all the fun activities such as special performances, vendors, and giveaways. Plus it’s free! January 28 from 11am to 3:30pm. Price: Free. Grand St. and Chrystie St. betterchinatown.com

Asia Society: The Year of the Rooster has arrived and according to the Chinese New Year, if you were born in any of these years, you’re a Rooster: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017. Ring in the year of the Rooster with Asia Society as they present Family Day: Moon Over Manhattan! Families can join in the celebration of the Lunar New Year by engaging in performances, such as a Lion Dance, kung fu demonstration, musical peformances and traditional craft activities inspired by Lunar New Year traditions across Asia. January 28 from 1pm to 5pm. Price:$5 children/students/seniors; $7 members; $12 non-members. 725 Park Avenue. asiasociety.org

Madison Street to Madison Avenue: East Midtown partnership is hosting an explosive Lunar New Year event. Celebrations include breath-taking cultural performances that range from the New York Eastern Chamber Orchestra and traditional juggler Lina Liu to a martial arts performance from American Tai Chi and Health Qiqong Center and much more. Get your kids out of the cold and bring them to experience kid-friendly cultural activities inside heated tents including Chinese face painting, calligraphy, and more! Finally, be apart of the crowd and experience the parade of Lion Dance troupes and more as they make their way up Madison Avenue! January 29 from 11am to 3pm. Price: Free. 527 Madison Ave. eastmidtown.org

Lunar New Year Parade & Festival: Don’t miss one of the biggest Chinese New Year events. Take your family to check out Chinatown’s annual Lunar New Year celebration! It is one of the largest street parties you will ever experience featuring remarkable visuals, delicious traditional Chinese snacks, and stunning performances. This street party is the hub for all sorts of vendors, food, and festivities for all ages to welcome the Year of the Rooster. Enjoy the parade as it goes through the main streets of Little Italy and Chinatown. February 5 from 12-4:30pm, parade kick-off at 1pm. Price: Free. East Broadway or by Grand Street / Sara Roosevelt Park. eastmidtown.org

The Museum of Chinese in America: Visitors of all ages will love ringing in the Year of the Rooster at MOCA’s Lunar New Year Family Festival. Activities include folk arts with zodiac-themed arts and crafts, festive dance performances, teaching artist demonstrations, storytelling, and more! Special events include watching an expert noodle puller from Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House demonstrate the art of pulling long life noodles and learning to make your own dumplings with Auntie Tina Yao of DIY Dumplings. It is sure to be a fun-filled day to remember! February 11 from 11am-4pm. Price: $12 per person, $8 for members, free for MOCA Family Level Members and above, Children under 2 and Cool Culture families. 215 Centre Street. mocanyc.org

BAMkids

BAMkids presents adventurous art and ideas for young audiences, igniting the imaginations of creative kids ages 3&mdash;11 with a fun and engaging lineup of workshops, movie matinees, and live performances from around the world. BAM Education connects learning with creativity, engaging imagination by encouraging self-expression through programs for students, teachers, and audiences of all ages. Explore the programs on their website to learn more about their opportunities for creative online engagement!

Super Soccer Stars

Soccer Stars is New York&rsquo;s most popular youth educational soccer program! With 24 years of experience under our cleats, we have positively impacted over one million kids in our local community by putting the FUN in FUNdamentals in our weekly classes and camps. At Soccer Stars, we use the soccer ball as a vehicle to help children not only improve their soccer skills, but develop self-confidence and physical literacy, improve gross motor skills, build teamwork, and hone socialization skills. Our highly trained coaches and early childhood experts lead an age-specific curriculum with a low kid-to-coach ratio so every child gets individual attention and can grow at their own pace. Kids ages 1-12+ can join our seasonal programs, including Parent &amp; Me, FUNdamentals, Development Training, and Travel Soccer. Join us at one of over 80 locations in neighborhoods across across Westchester County, Connecticut and New York, available 7 days-a-week: Connecticut: <ul> <li>Cos Cob</li> <li>Greenwich</li> <li>Port Chester</li> </ul> &nbsp; Westchester: <ul> <li>Briarcliff</li> <li>Eastchester</li> <li>Mt. Kisco</li> <li>New Rochelle</li> <li>Ridgefield</li> <li>Scarsdale</li> <li>White Plains</li> </ul> &nbsp; New York City: <ul> <li>Bronx</li> <li>Inwood</li> <li>Upper West Side</li> <li>Upper East Side</li> </ul> &nbsp; Can&rsquo;t find a class or location that fits your schedule? Soccer Stars also offers private classes for small groups or individual training. Let our coaches come to you with a completely customizable program, anytime, anywhere. Birthday parties are also available!&nbsp;

Broadway Dance Center Children and Teens

With more than 35 years of experience, Broadway Dance Center Children &amp; Teens provides young movers ages 3-18 with exceptional training. BDC delivers the finest all-around dance experience for students by offering a wide variety of styles and levels, performance opportunities, and the highest caliber dance instruction that only New York City and BDC Children &amp; Teens can provide. This studio is so much more than a training course for young dancers; it is a diverse, family-friendly community for budding creatives. It has an exemplary faculty who follow the vision to not only develop a dancer&rsquo;s love and ability in dance, but to do so in a nurturing and supportive way.