The American city of Chicago announced Thursday that it will celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Pig, from February 2 to17 with performances, parades and special events.
This is Chicago's sixth year of celebrating the festival citywide. "The Millennium Campus, the center of our city, will be in full display of Chinese New Year celebration activities," said Mark Kelly, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events of Chicago.
Over 20 events will be held, involving organizations such as Choose Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Center, Chicago Bulls, and the Chinese Fine Arts Society.
A signature event will be centuries-old musical traditions and Peking Opera performance presented by the Hubei Chime Bells Orchestra and the China National Peking Opera Company. The performance will be staged at the Chicago Symphony Center on February 10.
Artists perform the Sichuan Opera at the Chicago Cultural Center on February 16, 2018. /Photo via Xinhua News Agency
"The program features the exact replicas of the ancient Imperial Bells of China," said James Fahey, programming director with the Symphony Center Presents, who disclosed that besides the performing troupes from China, there will be a pre-concert featuring three local Chinese performing groups.
At the same time, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is on a tour of Asia and will stage two concerts in Shanghai and two in Beijing next week.
Hailing the CSO as a cultural ambassador, David Whitaker, president and CEO of Choose Chicago, said that the city is one of the most culturally diverse in the United States.
"Visitors from China are the fastest growing segment of tourists in the city... We welcome more visitors from China," Whitaker said.
The Art Institute of Chicago will kick off its celebration on February 2 with multiple events featuring art making, storytelling, music, games, and gallery tours in both English and Mandarin.
"We have selected nine pieces of the most beautiful Chinese art with a mosaic of auspicious themes for a tour during the celebration," said Tao Wang, Chinese Art curator with the Art Institute of Chicago.
"We want to use this opportunity to educate and engage our patrons from Chicago and all over the world about Chinese culture."
The Chinese Fine Arts Society, in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago, will organize a lantern procession through Millennium Park to Maggie Daley Park, followed by a lion dance, art making and ice skating.
Local residents attend a lantern procession outside the Art Institute of Chicago, March 3, 2018. /Photo via Xinhua News Agency
"It's exciting to see how the City of Chicago embraces the celebration of Chinese New Year," said Julie Ma, president of the Chinese Fine Arts Society.
"Last year, 5,000 people holding lanterns marched to the Maggie Daley Park." Ma said, adding that this year she is expecting a large number of participants as well.
Liu Jun, acting consul general of China in Chicago, expressed his appreciation to the city and all the organizations for making the celebration possible.
(Top image: Artists perform the lion dance at Chicago Cultural Center in Chicago, the United States, on February 16, 2018. /Photo via Xinhua News Agency)