New Jersey Lunar New Year Celebrations
The Chinese or Lunar New Year goes back about 3,500 years. It begins on February 17th this year, with multiple celebrations in New Jersey and around the world. According to…
Performers puppet a Chinese dragon in celebration of the Chinese new year.
(Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)The Chinese or Lunar New Year goes back about 3,500 years. It begins on February 17th this year, with multiple celebrations in New Jersey and around the world. According to Congress.gov, “The Chinese calendar uses a 60-year cycle known as the sexagenary cycle. The current cycle began in 1984 and ends in 2043.”
It’s also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival and lasts for fifteen days. In China, it’s a week-long holiday, sometimes longer. Businesses in the country shut down for at least a week to celebrate the holiday. It begins on the lunar calendar’s first new moon and ends on the first full moon.
It’s a twelve-year cycle, and a different animal represents each year. Each animal has a different meaning and has its own symbolism, including luck, personality, and fortune. For example, the year I was born was the year of the Goat. The element was fire, and the animal or sign was goat, sheep, or ram.
2026 is the year of the Horse. The element is fire, and it represents speed, freedom, and strength. The annual rotation of animals includes rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.
Lunar New Year Celebrations in New Jersey
American Dream in East Rutherford is planning its “Lunar New Year Spectacular” today, February 15th, at noon on the Dream Stage in Court A. It will feature “thundering lion dances, electrifying dances, and mesmerizing performances ranging from top-caliber artists to Kung Fu demonstrations.”
A New Jersey Symphony Lunar concert, conducted by Sunny Xia, will be held this Tuesday, the 17th. There will also be a free pre-concert Cultural Exchange Festival, including items from the Shanghai museum.
Metuchen’s Lunar New Year festivities will take place on February 21st. Downtown Metuchen says there will be a “Lion Dance through New Street & Main Street from 2 pm to 3 pm.”
In Bridgewater, there will be a performance at center court of Bridgewater Commons Mall, “in partnership with The Center for Cultural & Creative Exchange” on February 21st at 3 pm. There will also be Arts and Crafts throughout the weekend.
Happy New Year, wishing you prosperity! (Xin Nian Kuai Le, Gong Xi Fa Cai)
