Acton celebrates the Lunar New Year

February 1, 2025

To celebrate the Lunar New Year 2025, the Acton Chinese American community partnered with local organizations to host a variety of events.

On January 18, the Acton Memorial Library held a vibrant community celebration featuring activities such as lion dancing, cultural dance performances, calligraphy, and paper cutting. Shine-A-Light youth volunteers helped out and Ally Lee and Chu Lin performed. The Acton Chinese American Civic Society (ACACS) contributed to the coordination that brought it all together.

A busy scene with lots of people walking around and sitting at tables with red tableclothes. The tables have art projects and games that people are using.
Crowds of kids and adults doing crafts and playing games at the Lunar New Year celebration. Photo: Yiyong Dong

On January 26, Acton Chinese Language School celebrated the Lunar New Year with hundreds of attendees, including students, families, and local small businesses. The afternoon featured a variety of engaging activities for children, such as solving lantern puzzles , practicing calligraphy, Chinese paper cutting , lantern making , origami , playing chess, painting, and crafting.

In the evening, the celebration continued with a spectacular New Year Gala. The performances showcased a rich array of Chinese traditional arts, including martial arts, solo singing, choral performances, dancing, opera, and traditional instrumental music. The event highlighted the diversity and beauty of China’s 5,000-year-old cultural heritage.

One boy wearing a red suit and five women in white dresses play the pipa - a lute-like instrument. On the right, another woman in whote plays a guzheng, which is a long stringed instrument on legs.
Musicians playing the pipa (a Chinese lute) and guzheng (a zither, right). Photo: Chu Chu

On January 28, from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., ACACS partnered with Open Table in Maynard to distribute 350 red packets filled with a variety of snacks, sharing Lunar New Year blessings and good fortune with individuals picking up food from Open Table pantry.

Three people sit on the floor with many boxes of candy.
Volunteers, including those in the Shine-A-Light organization, purchased, donated, packed, and delivered the gifts wrapped in red packets. Photo: Yiyong Dong

Kaiping Fu is a member of the Acton Chinese American Civic Society (ACACS).

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