Lunar New Year 2024: Celebrating the Year of the Dragon

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Presented by CITGO

This program has taken place. Find the event recap and photos here »

UPDATES (February 8, 2024):

Advance registration and Spring Festival ticket sales are now closed.
Due to inclement weather, all festival activities will take place indoors, including the lion dance performances. Outdoor activations including food and drink sales have been canceled.
Due to space limitations, guests who preregistered or purchased tickets will have priority access. Walk-up guests are not guaranteed festival entry.
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Schedule

Saturday, February 10, 2024
11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Festival

Members enjoy exclusive early access, 10–11 a.m.!

2024 is the Year of the Dragon — a mighty symbol of power, nobility, and success that also represents honor, courage, and tenacity. Join Asia Society Texas in welcoming the Year of the Dragon with performances, art and craft activities, a Dragon Quest, and food inspired by Lunar New Year traditions across Asia!

Dance to the beat of traditional lion dancers as they perform outside on our festival lawn. Inside, travel across Asia in our Dragon Quest, enjoy traditional and contemporary Chinese music and dance performances, and create your own Lunar New Year-inspired crafts!

This event is FREE and open to the public; registration is required and will be enforced for timed building entry at 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 1:30–4 p.m. Food and drink will be available for sale. Music and dance performances by Huaxing Arts Group Houston are ticketed ($10; 35% off for members).

All-Ages Activities

The below activities take place indoors 10–11 a.m. (for Asia Society members only) and 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. (for general public).

Chinese Calligraphy
Explore traditional writing styles and receive your name or a simple phrase in Chinese characters.
Presented by Huaxing Arts Group Houston

Dragon Puppet-Making
In celebration of the Year of the Dragon, create a dragon puppet to take home!
Presented by Asia Society Texas interns

Lunar New Year Garden Banners
Contribute to a set of community Lunar New Year door banners or create your own unique good-luck decorations — all using recycled materials! Collaborate with artists Dr. Kathleen Funk and Naomi Kuo on this activity focusing on auspicious garden vegetables that grow well in Houston's cool-weather seasons, combining new and old symbols for blessings.
powered by lululemon

Photo Booth
Take a festive photo with performers wearing traditional outfits from the Han and Qing Dynasties.
Presented by Huaxing Arts Group Houston

Lunar New Year Dragon Quest
Learn about Lunar New Year traditions across China, Vietnam, South Korea, and the Philippines through activities and demonstrations presented by community organizations. Earn a prize once you've completed the quest!
Presented by Houston Hanfu Association and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Free Festival Performances and Demonstrations

Lion Dance | 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m.
Enjoy an energetic lion dance performance indoors throughout our Center.
12:30 p.m. performance presented by Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy
2:30 p.m. performance presented by Soaring Phoenix Dragon and Lion Dance Association, powered by lululemon

Ticketed Theater Performances

Spring Festival: Splendor of Huaxing
TICKETS: $10 (Asia Society members receive 35% off)
Performance times at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. inside the Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater. Each showtime features the same music and dance performances.

To celebrate the 2024 Lunar New Year, Huaxing Arts Group joins Asia Society Texas to present a collection of Chinese music and dance! From modern interpretations of traditional tunes to classic folk dances, the performances highlight a variety of performers and dance styles.

Huaxing Arts Group Houston is a civic organization of Chinese Americans in the Greater Houston Area. The association has served the greater community through volunteerism, service, and cultural exchange with a patriotic focus on strengthening the Chinese American community and its relationship with fellow citizens.

Vendors

Vendor applications for this festival are closed.

Food and Drink
Caobao Hot Steamy Buns | The Custard Box | Dumpling Haus | Saigon Arts Matcha Cafe | YoYo Drinks

Day-Of Information

Our Lunar New Year 2024 festival is a rain-or-shine event taking place indoors, including the 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. lion dances.

All guests must check in at our tent before entering the building. Building entry is enforced.

Parking and Directions

Paid parking ($10) is available in Asia Society Texas' lot across Southmore Boulevard from the building. Entrances are located on Caroline and Austin Streets. Bicycle racks are available in our parking lot for no cost.

Asia Society Texas Center is a five-minute walk from the Museum District METRO Rail Station.

Event Schedule

10–11 a.m.	Early Building Access for Asia Society Members	Throughout the Center
11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.	First Time Slot for Building Entry
11:30 a.m.	SOLD OUT: Spring Festival: Splendor of Huaxing Music and Dance (Ticketed) by Huaxing Arts Group Houston	Theater (Downstairs)
12:30 p.m.	Lion Dance by Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy	Throughout the Center
1:30–4 p.m.	Second Time Slot for Building Entry
1:30 p.m.	SOLD OUT: Spring Festival: Splendor of Huaxing Music and Dance (Ticketed: $10) by Huaxing Arts Group Houston	Theater (Downstairs)
2 p.m.	Lion Dance by Soaring Phoenix Dragon and Lion Dance Association, powered by lululemon	Throughout the Center
3:30 p.m.	SOLD OUT: Spring Festival: Splendor of Huaxing Music and Dance (Ticketed: $10) by Huaxing Arts Group Houston	Theater (Downstairs)

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.

Sponsorships

Interested in sponsoring Lunar New Year at Asia Society Texas? Please contact Saleena Jafry, Vice President of Development, at [email protected].

Previous Lunar New Year Festivals

Lunar New Year Presenting Sponsor

Lunar New Year Sponsors

Program Partner

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.