Newmarket is celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year with two upcoming events.
More than 800 participants are expected to attend the Chinese New Year Gala with performances, an art show and booths at Newmarket Theatre this Saturday, Feb. 2, followed with a second celebration at Upper Canada Mall Saturday, Feb. 9, according to co-organizer Amanda Du, co-chairman of the Canadian National Youth Arts Association (CNYAA).
“The Lunar New Year is one of the most traditional festive seasons to many Canadians of Chinese origin,” Du said.
Residents from as close as Aurora and Stouffville and as far as Barrie are expected to attend Saturday’s celebrations, said Du, an Aurora resident.
“Our objective is to connect and engage Canadians of Chinese origin and the communities of Newmarket and Aurora, to enhance the friendship we have,” Du said.
Hosted by the CNYAA and Canada Professional Chinese Teachers Association, Saturday’s event — also known as the Spring Festival Gala or Chunwan — is free from 3 to 6 p.m. in the lobby of Newmarket Theatre, 505 Pickering Cres., with tickets available for $36 for the evening’s gala event and performances beginning at 6:30 p.m.
For tickets, click here.
Entertainment will include a Chinese opera, lion dances, acrobatics, comedy acts, folk musical instrument instruments and the piglet, representing 2019 as the Year of the Pig.
Local dignitaries are expected to attend.
This is the third year that the successful festival will be held at Newmarket Theatre, Du said, adding that she expects attendance will continue to grow along with the local Chinese community.
New this year is the Northern Toronto Lunar New Year Celebration at Upper Canada Mall from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9.
“We’re very excited about bringing this new festival to Newmarket in partnership with Upper Canada Mall,” Du said.
The free celebration and Chinese cultural experience will feature lion and dragon dances, Chinese opera, Chinese painting, kongfu, calligraphy, a money tree, crafts, costumes, tanghulu sugar painting, and dumpling making.
