Enter the Dragon: Asia Society Texas' Festival Rings in Lunar New Year 2024

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View more photos on Flickr: Lunar New Year at Asia Society Texas and at The Galleria

HOUSTON, February 14, 2024 — Asia Society Texas (AST) welcomed more than 3,500 guests to ring in the Year of the Dragon at its annual Lunar New Year festival on Saturday, February 10, featuring all-ages activities and performances inspired by holiday traditions across Asia.

Embarking on a Dragon Quest highlighting AST's community partners, attendees created dragon puppets with Houston Public Library, made parol lanterns with Filipino Young Professionals of Houston, repurposed recycled materials to make good-luck decorations with artists Dr. Kathleen Funk and Naomi Kuo, contributed to a community art scroll with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and created colorful paper jegi with Korean American Society of Houston. Longtime partner Huaxing Arts Group presented a photo booth with performers wearing traditional outfits from the Han and Qing Dynasties, while AST's education department created a sensory play zone that included a storytime area, a dragon ball pit, and a miniature kitchen for the festival's youngest guests. Festival fare included a special menu by Java Lava Cafe, desserts by The Custard Box, and dumplings and fried rice by Dumpling Haus.

New this year, the festival featured additional performances in response to the holiday's increased popularity. Huaxing Arts Group presented traditional and contemporary Chinese music and dance at three sold-out showtimes, while visitors enjoyed lively lion and dragon dances by Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy and Soaring Phoenix Dragon and Lion Dance Association.

In its sixth year, AST presented a Lunar New Year art contest, with 777 students participating in workshops led by a teaching artist throughout January and thew winning art displayed at the festival. Participating schools included Ed White Elementary School, FLUX School Of Art, Jane Long Academy, Kolter Elementary School, Lanier Middle School, Longfellow Elementary School, Mandarin Immersion Magnet School, and The School at George Place.

The festivities continued with performances and activities at The Galleria on Sunday, February 11, where performing groups included Huaxing Arts Group, Houston Grand Opera, and Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy. The celebration resumes this weekend, February 17–18, with performances by Dance of Asian America, Filipino Young Professionals of Houston, Han Narea, Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy, and Three Roses.

Lunar New Year 2024 at Asia Society Texas was presented by CITGO, with generous support from Janae and Ken Tsai and Huaxing Arts Group. Dr. Kathleen Funk's and Naomi Kuo's garden banners activity and Soaring Phoenix's lion dance performance were powered by lululemon.

Offsite, AST celebrated Lunar New Year with outreach activities and workshops at Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library, the University of Houston, and S&P Global. School workshops were funded by the Arts Action Fund @ Arts Connect Houston.

View more photos on Flickr: Lunar New Year at Asia Society Texas and at The Galleria.

About Lunar New Year at Asia Society Texas

Featuring music and dance performances as well as zodiac-inspired activities, our annual festival celebrates Lunar New Year traditions from across Asia. Free and open to the public, the all-ages event is one of Asia Society Texas' most popular programs, drawing roughly 2,000 guests each year.

Previous Lunar New Year Festivals

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.