On February 2nd, the Chinese Culture Club kicked off their Lunar New Year festival with the lion and dragon dances greeting students at the Brewster entrance to celebrate the upcoming holiday on February 10th. The dances are traditionally performed to bring good luck and prosperity for the new year. Later during lunch in the Learning Commons, common Chinese dishes—such as General Tso’s chicken, lo mein, fried rice, and dumplings—were served, “Mulan” played on the drop-down screen, and various activities and games including calligraphy and ping pong were hosted in the iLab.
Every year, the club holds the Lunar New Year festival because Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in China. Not only does it represent the start of a new year, but it also reunites Chinese families over elaborate feasts to share laughter and good luck through red envelopes with their loved ones. The club hopes that events like this festival will foster enthusiasm and appreciation for Chinese heritage and help to spread awareness within the community. “There’s definitely an extra layer to Lunar New Year that comes with realizing the deeper reasons behind traditions and superstitions that sheds light on the rich prevalence of legends and stories in Chinese culture, [but] I really liked being able to serve food to everybody and see how many people passed by and felt the vitality and community of being able to celebrate this big holiday together,” Serena Wu ’24 shared.
The Lunar New Year festival attracts large crowds each year, with a lengthy line of students eager to try the different dishes. “The festival was a great experience and the food was the best part. I think this was a great way to celebrate Chinese New Year with the whole school,” Julia Artes ’26 expressed.
The club has also sold food during SHS’s international lunch, the high school carnival, and various other Chinese food sales. “We strive to create an inclusive space that educates members and inspires passion for Chinese culture, food, and traditions. Everyone is welcome to join, and no prior knowledge of Chinese culture or language is needed,” Chinese Culture Club officer Caitlyn Wu ’25 said. They meet on Wednesdays at 3 PM in room 410.
