2021 Lunar New Year Celebration

新 年 快 樂

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

Our 2021 virtual Lunar New Year event is presented by The Chinese & American Friendship Association of Maine (CAFAM) in partnership with the University of Southern Maine Confucius Institute. Thank you to all our guest performers, speakers, and volunteer creators for helping create such a fun-filled and vibrant celebration!

The Year of the Ox represents confidence, strength, reliability, fairness, and strategy. Mainers may be interested to discover that a pair of oxen from Stetson, Maine in 1906 held the world record for size, weighing in at 9,800 lbs (5 tons).

WELCOME REMARKS

with Jennifer DeCristoforo, CAFAM President and Brianne Hodgkins, Program Coordinator, Confucius Institute at USM

PROGRAM

Scroll down or use links below to jump to your favorite selections

LIVE Cooking Class with Maine Chef and Author, Chris Toy, making Lobster Wonton Soup with Egg Rolls on Saturday Feb. 13, 4:00-5:00 p.m. EST – Free Zoom pre-registration – sign up here & Ingredients List.

Lion Dance

Steve Wong & Family (Maine lion dance troupe)

Calligraphy Demonstration

Professor Tony Wang, USM Confucius Institute

Chinese Zodiac

Brianne Hodgkins, USM Confucius Institute

SPRING FESTIVAL PAPER CUT

with Jen DeCristoforo, Lucky Bamboo Crafts – a book of 100 projects and ideas celebrating Chinese culture for kids. Click to download the template.

“SPRING COMES TO SNOWY MOUNTAIN”

Guzheng, Professor Daisy Wu, Performing Arts Department & Confucius Institute at Alfred University

Zhongbei (Daisy) Wu is an award-winning Guzheng (or Chinese Zither, a traditional Chinese instrument) artist. She is now a Visiting Associate Professor of Music in the Performing Arts Center of Alfred University, the Director of the Confucius Institute at Alfred University, Daisy is the soloist for the “A Musical Feast” Concert Series and for “MostArts Festival”, and she is also the Judge of New York International Chinese Instruments Competition. She has performed in remarkable settings such as China Central Television, Carnegie Hall, the United Nations Headquarters at New York, National Press Club at Washington DC.

ERHU FESTIVAL MEDLEY

林湛涛：二胡Zhantao Lin: Erhu 民歌联奏 Folk Medley 设有：Featuring

  • 步步高 （Bubu Gao – Rising Step by Step)
  • 掀起你的盖头来 （Lift Your Veil）
  • 喜洋洋 （Xi Yangyang – Joyful Mood）

简介：Bio: Zhantao Lin also is an erhu teacher based in the Boston area. Before moving to the United States in 1999, Lin was an erhu professor at the Guangxi Arts Institution and a board member of the Chinese professional erhu player’s guild in China. He was hired as a guest artist by the Music Department of Harvard University.

Zhantao Lin is also a sixth generation disciple of Yang Style Tai Chi. He’s studied baguazhang (八卦掌), xingyiquan (形意拳), white crane forms, and Yang Zhenji’s 88 forms under numerous instructors. He is the president of the Tai Chi Academy of Greater Boston.  

LEGEND OF NIAN MONSTER

“Long long ago deep down in the sea, there lived a ferocious monster named Nian. Legend says that on the eve of every New Year, “Nian” would descend upon the nearby village and devour the grain, the livestock and the townspeople.”

‘US & CHINA COVID-19 MISSTEPS‘ LECTURE

Dr. Joseph McDonnell, Muskie School, USM

Dr. McDonnell has extensive experience in Chinese business practice and culture. He has served on the Stony Brook University Confucius Institute Advisory Board, led Stony Brook’s implementation of a joint degree with Nanjing University in China, and served as president of Chinex International, LTD, a joint venture with China National Machinery Corporation.

CCTV’S NEW YEAR’S GALA & HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

Click to visit China Travel’s page to explore customs, fun facts, and day-by-day celebrations. “As the traditions of the Chinese New Year, Chinese people have performed lion dance, dragon dance, conjuring trick, and other types of acrobatics during the Spring Festival in ancient times. Celebrate on the network millions tune in to watch! Live broadcasting not only from the CCTV’s Beijing studios but also from other major Chinese cities has become a routine since 2016.”

Holiday Marketplace

During these unprecedented times, please remember to support all Asian-owned businesses in our Maine communities, especially over the Lunar New Year holiday. You will find unique products and services, and of course lots of delicious Asian fare!

Easy Chinese Cookbook by Chris Toy

30 Minute Stir Fry Cookbook by Chris Toy

Lucky Bamboo Book of Crafts by Jennifer DeCristoforo

Little Red Cup Tea Discount upon checkout with this link

CAFAM T-Shirts and Join/Renew Membership

Fireball Bookbindery Journals by Evelyn Wong

Chinese Brush Paintings by Kelli McNichols

Illustrated Stickers by Penguins Paperie

USPS Forever Stamps