Gong xi fa cai! Happy new year!
The Chinese or Lunar New Year is a festival that celebrates the beginning of the new year and the coming of spring in the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, Chinese New Year is on January 29, 2025, when the Year of the Snake will officially begin!
My family was first introduced to Chinese New Year while living in New York City. We attended a few events around the city and learned a little bit about this holiday. We got the full experience once we moved to Singapore, where it is the major holiday of the year. I was immediately caught up in the dances, parades, traditions, and foods, and my kids and I became obsessed with the lion dance. The loud drums, the acrobatics, and the humor of the dance delighted me and continues to enchant me to this day. It is a truly thrilling event to behold.
In the Knoxville area, there are several Chinese New Year events to attend:
Knoxville Chinese New Year Events
Japanese New Year Festival
January 26, 1:30-3:30pm, East Tennessee Historical Center, 601 Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
The Asian Culture Center of Tennessee, who hosts the annual Knoxville Asian Festival, is hosting Oshogatsu, a Japanese new year celebration in downtown Knoxville. The festivities will start on the Market Square stage at 1:30pm with a performance by the Nashville Taiko drummers. The rest of the activities will be held indoors at the East Tennessee Historical Center on Gay Street. Attendees will enjoy more musical performances on the shamisen, Japanese harp, and traditional dancing celebrating the new year. There will be a mochi tsuki demonstration, rice ball pounding, which will showcase how mochi is made and its cultural significance in Japan. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste three different kinds of mochi! Children will especially enjoy the interactive taiko drumming experience, where they can try out taiko drumming themselves. There will also be a Japanese children’s song workshop, where kids can learn traditional songs in Japanese. Adults can enjoy a sake tasting experience, where they will get to try several types of sake and learn more about Japanese culture through this experience. This part of the celebration is for adults 21 and older. IDs will be checked.
Tickets can be purchased online. They are $5 per person and children under 6 are free. The Asian Culture Center of Tennessee welcomes all to come and start the new year on a high note.
East Tennessee Chinese New Year Festival
February 2, 3:30-6pm, Cox Auditorium, Alumni Memorial Building, University of Tennessee, 1408 Middle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996
The Knoxville Chinese Culture is hosting their annual Chinese New Year Festival. They bring together various local Chinese groups to showcase their talents and professional special guests from around the world to celebrate the Chinese New Year. This year, their special guest will be Lina Liu, the world’s premiere umbrella juggler, and Guinness World record holder from New York City. Other performances are the traditional lion dance by Way Lum Kung Fu troop, Chinese dancing, martial arts, singing, and more. The event is bilingual to enable the audience a greater understanding and significance of this wonderful celebration of Chinese culture to the broader East Tennessee region. Come enjoy this family friendly variety show!
Buy tickets in advance online here to reserve your seat. Tickets range in price from $10-14.
Gong xi fa cai, friends!
*All photos have been provided by the Asian Culture Center of Tennessee, and Chinese Culture Center.
