Downtown Akron Lunar New Year to celebrate Year of the Dragon at Civic Theatre
It's the Year of the Dragon, the fifth animal in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac.
The Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration , presented for the third year by Downtown Akron Partnership, will run from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Akron Civic Theatre , 182 S. Main St.
The celebration will include food from downtown restaurants, information on Lunar New Year, crafts, performances and more. Last year's event drew 2,000 attendees.
Doors will open at 3:30 p.m., with a Culture Fair running at the Knight Stage and the Akron Civic Theatre lobby from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Performances will begin on the main stage at 6 p.m.
Entertainment will include a Lion Dance by the Kwan Family Lion Dance Team . The Lion Dance helps to usher in the New Year and expel evil spirits.
Other professional groups as well as community members will perform on the Akron Civic Theatre stage. They include waist-drum performers from the Glory Drum Team of Cleveland, martial arts master Sen Gao, Wutang Center for Martial Arts in Akron, Stellar Acrobatic Dance Academy and dance soloist Emily Su.
Students from NIHF STEM Middle School , with the help of former Chinese teacher Qing Liang and program specialist Brenda Leighton, will return to perform the Dragon Dance, Umbrella Dance and Dragon Ribbon Dance.
Ka'Ren Culture Dance Academy will perform two dances, including the traditional Bamboo Dance, and the Akron Chinese School will perform "I Love Chinese Food." STEM, Voris CLC and Akron Early College students also will sing in a choir.
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Food, fireworks part of Lunar New Year celebration
Food will be a part of the celebration, with appetizers available to purchase from Cilantro Thai & Sushi Restaurant , Boiling House Akron and The Eccentric Panda food truck. The evening will end with fireworks outside the theater at 8 p.m.
Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations of the year in East and Southeast Asian cultures, when participants honor ancestors and deities, visit family and feast.
Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is observed in China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines. Festivities across the world run for two weeks, from the lunar year's first new moon to its first full moon. This year's dates are Feb. 10 through Feb. 24. To learn more about Akron's Lunar New Year event and to purchase tickets, which cost $5, go to downtownakron.com . See Downtown Akron Partnership on Facebook or Instagram for more information.
Free METRO bus rides will be offered Feb. 18 when passengers show a paper or digital event flyer to the bus operator. Call 330-762-0341 for routes and times or see yourmetrobus.org .
Akron Lunar New Year is presented with support from the city of Akron , Knight Foundation , Ohio Arts Council , GAR Foundation , Akron Community Foundation and the Akron Civic Theatre.
Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Downtown Akron Lunar Year event includes food, culture, performances
