MONTCLAIR, NJ – AAPI Montclair and the Montclair Art Museum (MAM) will host AAPI Montclair’s second annual Lunar New Year Celebration on January 28th from 11am-3pm (rain date: January 29th) at the Montclair Art Museum.
Lunar New Year is a time of hope where family, friends, and neighbors come together to rejoice in new beginnings and look ahead to a peaceful and prosperous year. Join for a day full of performances and activities that the whole family will love.
The celebration kicks off with the Dragon Parade (11:15-11:30am) in front of MAM, followed by guest speaker Assemblywoman Ellen Park, who has served as the Assemblywoman of District 37 in Bergen County since 2021. Assemblywoman Park is one of three Asian American women and the first Korean American woman elected to the New Jersey State legislature.
Following Assemblywoman Park, there will be performances by Wushu Kung Fu: Lion Dance and Martial Art performances, Korean United Presbyterian Church (KUPC) drummers and performances by local Montclair Public School Mandarin Program students.
Guests can check out additional performances from 1-1:50pm at the indoor stage in Leir Hall from the following groups: Chomnoori (drum and sword) performance, NY Chinese Cultural Center (Minority and Fan Dance), Talium Tae Kwon Do (Student Performers and SWAT Team), and Vietnamese Cultural Dance Troupe (Fan Dance).
The Lunar New Year festivities will culminate with a Dragon Parade, performances by Drums of Thunder, Montclair Kimberley Academy students, and Cohesion KPOP dancers on the outdoor stage from 2-2:40pm.
Throughout the event, families will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in various cultural activities. Master Paper Cutter Hou-Tien Cheng will showcase his one-of-a-kind scissor skills. Montclair High School students will lead a paper-cutting and coloring craft session, while Montclair Kimberley Academy students will demonstrate origami craft. The Korean United Presbyterian Church will exhibit traditional Korean garb and illustrate how to play the Korean games Ddakjichagi and Jegichagi.
This event is proudly presented in partnership with the Fort Lee Chinese Americans, Glen Ridge Diversity and Inclusion Association, Korean United Presbyterian Church of NJ, Professional Filipino American Youth, United Asian Voices of West Orange, Vietnamese Boat People, and the Montclair Art Museum.
As part of AAPI Montclair’s commitment to inclusion, general admission tickets are a suggested donation of $7 for individuals and $25 for families (limit to five attendees per family). Children under the age of five are admitted free. This event is free to all MAM members. Reserve tickets today at https://givebutter.com/LNYMontclair2023. MAM is located at 3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ.