Year of the Snake shines at New Haven Lunarfest Over 20 University and citywide events invited the community to explore Chinese arts, culture and history as New Haven leaders emphasized the city’s multicultural spirit. Words by Baala Shakya and Jaeha Jang. Photos by Baala Shakya. Published Feb. 3, 2024.
On Saturday morning, Yalies and New Haven residents gathered on the corner of Whitney and Grove streets to ring in the Lunar New Year at the 14th annual Lunarfest.
The celebration kicked off with a Lion Dance parade, which was followed by performances from student and local groups and remarks from local leaders. In the afternoon, various activities and workshops were held, including at the New Haven Museum, the Peabody Museum and the Office of International Students and Scholars.
At 10 a.m., the famed lion dancers of the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute gathered together to play the traditional instruments of tanggu, cymbals and gongs prior to the Lion Dance Parade. After about 15 minutes of drumming, the music synchronized to the movements of the costumed dancers who then assembled into two fearsome dragons.
As the Lion Dance Parade made its way down Whitney Avenue, the twin lions could be seen walking up to parade goers, allowing them to take photos and participating in the ritual of placing red envelopes filled with donations — “hongbao” — in the lion’s mouth.
“I’ve learned that we’re supposed to give the lions red envelopes filled with money, which I didn’t bring prepared this time, but I will for next year,” said Kristina Kristo, a New Haven resident.
Following the lions and the troupe of lion dancers were groups representing the event’s organizers, which included the Yale-China Association, New Haven Museum, the Town Green District, Peabody Museum and New Haven Free Public Library.
When the parade reached the intersection of Whitney and Trumbull streets, student groups took the stage for cultural performances.
Yale Club Wushu performed a dynamic and action-packed performance, showcasing traditional and contemporary wushu — also known as kung fu. The performance also displayed different traditional Chinese weapons throughout the show.
Red Lantern, a Chinese dance group founded last year, also performed student-choreographed dances featuring fans. In the afternoon, the troupe also led two dances that weaved together traditional Chinese dance elements with storytelling at the Yale Peabody Museum.
“The vivid colors of the fans and costumes enhance the visual representation of flowers in full bloom, celebrating the vibrancy of new beginnings,” said Annabelle Huang ’26, the founder and president of Red Lantern. “Through these dances, we wish to provide the audience with a glimpse of Chinese dance arts and the deeply rooted history behind the creation of this form [in] celebration of the Lunar New Year.”
Yale’s K-pop Dance Society, also known as KDSY, also performed at the Yale Peabody Museum, blending upbeat choreography with a dynamic mix of multicultural songs. Although the dance style is more modern, said Neha Arun GRD ’29, a member of the dance group, the group still hoped to “showcase the creativity and transformation symbolized by the Year of the Snake.”
Local groups, including the Wu Dang Kung Fu Academy in Milford, also performed at the celebration.
Following a speech by John Frisbie, the president of Yale-China Association, Mayor Justin Elicker delivered remarks about the importance of celebrating the Lunar New Year.
“Today is a celebration of our multicultural city, especially our Asian American heritage,” he said after welcoming attendees in Chinese for nearly a minute. “The Year of the Snake, as a symbol, is about a lot of new surprises. There have already been too many new surprises this year, but it’s also about a new beginning –– shedding your old snakeskin and having a new beginning.”
After speeches by public officials, the lion dancers returned for one final performance which allowed parade-goers to reach out for “yuanbao” — symbolic gold ingots representing wealth and prosperity — “spit” out by the lion.
Following the parade, over 20 activities, workshops, performances and talks celebrating the Year of the Snake were hosted across 10 venues — all free and open to the public.
Attendees to Lunarfest also had the opportunity to discover Chinese music, learn tai chi, participate in a symposium on traditional Chinese medicine, make Beijing Opera masks and join a Chinese Zodiac Scavenger Hunt co-sponsored by The Shops at Yale and the Whitney-Audubon Retail & Arts District.
“The strong, cold wind did little to affect the participants’ high spirits,” said Ozan Say, the director of the Office of International Students and Scholars. “[The OISS is] always proud and happy to join the Lunar New Year celebrations and take part in intercultural festivities. It was great to see Yale and New Haven community members come out to celebrate Lunar New Year.”
The new moon on Wednesday, Jan. 29 rang in the Year of the Snake, which precedes the Year of the Horse in 2026.
Contact Baala Shakya at baala.shakya@yale.edu and Jaeha Jang at jaeha.jang@yale.edu.