Each year, the Lunar New Year marks the first new moon in the lunisolar calendar, which is typically used in countries such as Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Singapore.   This festival is celebrated for sixteen days, with the eve of the Lunar New Year marking the first of these days and the Lantern Festival marking the end.  

This year, the Lunar New Year began on Feb. 12 and continues through Feb. 26.  Like many other holidays, a big tradition is a food.  Some of the foods include song gao, a snack made up of rice flour, sugar, and azuki beans, and jiu niang yuan zi which is a dessert dish composed of fermented glutinous rice and dried Osmanthus flower.  Another popular tradition for a holiday is lighting lanterns that often line streets as the lanterns are supposed to be lucky charms that scare the sharp-toothed Nian monster.  People also wear red during this holiday, a color considered lucky in some Asian cultures and is supposed to promote wealth and represent newfound hopes and a fresh start. 

“The Lunar New Year is a time filled with celebration, family, and friends.  There are so many rich traditions that are behind this holiday,” said sophomore Montana Moon. 

The Landmark held a virtual celebration of the Year of the Ox that included kung fu and tai chi performances.

All of the regional performers that participated in the events pre-recorded their acts in the historical Jeanne Rimsky Theater, and the performances were broadcast on North Hempstead TV and on YouTube..

In addition to the online festivities, the Landmark is co-promoting the Glow Community Centre in Flushing, with whom the Landmark co-host some of their youth activities.

This community center will be hosting daily minute-long YouTube videos focused on the history and traditions behind the Lunar New Year, appearances by local Chinese talent, and children’s arts and crafts presentations. 

Some notable performances include the Zhengming Zither guzheng ensemble, a Chinese drum solo, music and dance from Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of New York, a song performed by an iSchool of Music & Art voice student, Peacock Dance from the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, and a kung fu and tai chi performances from the Sitan Tai Chi & Martial Arts School.  

“In honor of the Year of the Ox, we are sharing this Lunar New Year program with our residents.  We hope you join us for this celebration and enjoy these fantastic traditional performances.  We are thankful that we were able to partner with Landmark on Main Street to help facilitate bringing these outstanding performances to our residents from the comfort and safety of their own homes,” said Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth.