Dazzling array of events celebrating Chinese Spring Festival set to light up Eastern US

NEW YORK -- A vibrant tapestry of cultural celebrations is set to unfold across the Eastern United States in February as the Chinese Lunar New Year nears.

Ping Huang, Chinese Consul General in New York, shared the exciting news during Tuesday's 2024 "Happy Chinese New Year" launch ceremony.

"The year 2024 is special as China and the US will celebrate the 45th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations ... Let's join hands to make all the upcoming events successful and inject more positive energy to the stable, sound and sustainable development of China-US relationship," said Huang.

"To ensure the two major countries can get along, a right perception of each other is more important than anything else. That's why we need to enhance people-to-people exchanges to deepen our mutual understanding. After all, the foundation of China-US relationship lies with the people," Huang said.

Huang gave special thanks to the New York Philharmonic, which has been working with Chinese artists since 2012 to celebrate the Chinese New Year. "This sets the pace of musical cooperation between China and the US and contributed to the popularization of the Chinese New Year."

"Our 2024 celebration on Feb 20 will bring us in a full dragon to Dragon lunar cycle, and we're so happy about this," said Gary Ginstling, President & CEO of New York Philharmonic, adding the orchestra's new year gala "exemplifies our belief that symphonic music transcends borders and unites people of all cultures."

Moreover, arts institutions, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the Bard College Conservatory of Music, will present a series of Chinese New Year concerts.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Lincoln Center will hold Family Day programs for a more hands-on experience of Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

Landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center and the American Dream Mall will hold lighting ceremonies. The Brooklyn Nets will hold a themed event. The China Institute will present a Lunar New Year family festival.

The Global Chinese New Year Photography Competition will be held for the 9th year.

China National Tourist Office in New York will join hands with the Pennsylvania Tourism Department and China Institute to launch an ice carnival and a Chinese culinary festival.

Chinese New Year 2024 will fall on Saturday, Feb 10, kicking off the year of the Dragon. This festival is a public school holiday in New York State and a UN floating holiday.