First-Ever Chinese New Year Lantern Festival to be Held in Southtowns

Local Organizations Partner to Host Chinese New Year Celebration Featuring Live Performances, Kid-Friendly Activities

Orchard Park, N.Y. (February 07, 2013) – The Southtowns Chinese New Year Event Planning Committee today announced that several area organizations have partnered to host the Southtowns’ first-ever Chinese New Year Lantern Festival Community Event. The group hosting the event includes the Confucius Institute at the State University of New York at Buffalo, EZ Mandarin of Western New York, the Chinese Club of Western New York, Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute, the Town of Orchard Park Recreation Department, and Bryant & Stratton College. The event will take place on Sunday, February 24th from Noon to 3 p.m. at the Bryant & Stratton College Southtowns Campus in Orchard Park, NY, and is free and open to the public.

The hosting organizations are delighted to partner together to bring this unique cultural celebration to the Southtowns community. Area families will be able to take part in the Chinese New Year Lantern Festival festivities and have fun while learning more about this time-honored tradition.

The event will feature a Chinese New Year performance by the Chinese Club of Western New York and a Dragon Dance performance by the Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute. Other scheduled activities include:

• Chinese Dumpling making
• Chinese tea ceremony and tea tasting
• Chopsticks contest
• Asian food tasting
• Chinese traditional medicine and acupuncture seminar

The celebration will also feature a variety of kid-friendly activities, including:

• Chinese arts and crafts station
• Reading of Chinese New Year stories
• Chinese language learning corner (language and songs)
• Wild snake exhibition
• Chinese cartoon movie corner

Event Information

For more information about the event, please contact: EZ Mandarin of Western New York at (716) 868-3298 or [email protected].