APAPA Lunar New Year Celebration 2026 🧧
Welcoming the Year of the Horse 🐎✨
Join us for a joyful Lunar New Year celebration hosted by the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs of Buffalo-Niagara (APAPA)! Let’s come together to embrace renewal, prosperity, and community as we welcome the Year of the Horse.
📅 Date: February 20, 2026
🕓 Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Buffalo AKG Art Museum
🌟 Event Highlights
✨ Traditional Performances
Experience the richness of Asian cultures through vibrant performances, including dragon dances, traditional Chinese dances, instrumental music, and more.
🍲 Culinary Delights
Enjoy a delicious selection of Asian cuisine featuring Lunar New Year dishes symbolizing luck, prosperity, and good fortune.
🎨 Interactive Workshops
Fun, hands-on activities for all ages, including calligraphy, lantern-making, and traditional crafts.
🥳 Community Spirit
Reconnect with friends, meet new neighbors, and celebrate together in the true spirit of the Lunar New Year.
🗓️ Event Schedule
4:00 PM – 6:15 PM
• Opening Remarks
• Gold Summit Dragon Dance
• Grace Tiedemann – Chinese Classical Dance Tales of the Opera
• Roksana Rafique - Singing "Baje re Baje Dhol - New Year's Rhythm in the Air
• Chinese Club of WNY Fanghua Dance Group - Chinese Classical Dance
• Nusantara Arts – Balinese Dancers - Pendet Dance
• UB Filipino American Student Association - Tinikling Dance
• Karen Youth of Buffalo will be dancing to a New Year's song
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
🎼 Classical Chinese Concert, featuring:
• Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto – Program note by Dr. Andrew Lin, member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Lily Li, Vice President for Competitions (2025–2026), New York State Music Teachers Association; Director, Lily Li Piano Studio LLC; Community Collaborative Pianist, SUNY Fredonia School of Music
• Ziqiao Hing – Traditional Chinese Instrument Pipa
• Buffalo Chinese School 5th Grade Chorus
🌈 Special Highlight: Niagara Falls Illumination
Get ready for a breathtaking moment!
🕙 10:00 PM on February 20, 2026
Niagara Falls will light up in stunning colors to celebrate APAPA Lunar New Year — proudly sponsored by the Niagara Falls Illumination Board. 🌟🏮
Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration!
🎟️ Admission & Gifts
🎉 Free General Admission
🎁 Make a small donation on the day of the event to support us and receive a Lunar New Year gift, available for pickup at the APAPA table.
• Limited supply — gifts are not guaranteed for day-of donations
• Those who donated $20 or more on or before February 19th will receive a gift bag. Proof of RSVP/donation is required.
👉 Follow us on Facebook: APAPA Buffalo-Niagara for updates and future events.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you — see you there! 🧡
#APAPA #APAPABNC #LunarNewYear #YearOfTheHorse #AAPICommunity #BuffaloWNY #CulturalCelebration
📅 Date: February 20, 2026
🕓 Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Buffalo AKG Art Museum
🌟 Event Highlights
✨ Traditional Performances
Experience the richness of Asian cultures through vibrant performances, including dragon dances, traditional Chinese dances, instrumental music, and more.
🍲 Culinary Delights
Enjoy a delicious selection of Asian cuisine featuring Lunar New Year dishes symbolizing luck, prosperity, and good fortune.
🎨 Interactive Workshops
Fun, hands-on activities for all ages, including calligraphy, lantern-making, and traditional crafts.
🥳 Community Spirit
Reconnect with friends, meet new neighbors, and celebrate together in the true spirit of the Lunar New Year.
🗓️ Event Schedule
4:00 PM – 6:15 PM
• Opening Remarks
• Gold Summit Dragon Dance
• Grace Tiedemann – Chinese Classical Dance Tales of the Opera
• Roksana Rafique - Singing "Baje re Baje Dhol - New Year's Rhythm in the Air
• Chinese Club of WNY Fanghua Dance Group - Chinese Classical Dance
• Nusantara Arts – Balinese Dancers - Pendet Dance
• UB Filipino American Student Association - Tinikling Dance
• Karen Youth of Buffalo will be dancing to a New Year's song
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
🎼 Classical Chinese Concert, featuring:
• Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto – Program note by Dr. Andrew Lin, member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Lily Li, Vice President for Competitions (2025–2026), New York State Music Teachers Association; Director, Lily Li Piano Studio LLC; Community Collaborative Pianist, SUNY Fredonia School of Music
• Ziqiao Hing – Traditional Chinese Instrument Pipa
• Buffalo Chinese School 5th Grade Chorus
🌈 Special Highlight: Niagara Falls Illumination
Get ready for a breathtaking moment!
🕙 10:00 PM on February 20, 2026
Niagara Falls will light up in stunning colors to celebrate APAPA Lunar New Year — proudly sponsored by the Niagara Falls Illumination Board. 🌟🏮
Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration!
🎟️ Admission & Gifts
🎉 Free General Admission
🎁 Make a small donation on the day of the event to support us and receive a Lunar New Year gift, available for pickup at the APAPA table.
• Limited supply — gifts are not guaranteed for day-of donations
• Those who donated $20 or more on or before February 19th will receive a gift bag. Proof of RSVP/donation is required.
👉 Follow us on Facebook: APAPA Buffalo-Niagara for updates and future events.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you — see you there! 🧡
#APAPA #APAPABNC #LunarNewYear #YearOfTheHorse #AAPICommunity #BuffaloWNY #CulturalCelebration
Location
Buffalo AKG Art Museum
1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA
1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA
Date & Time
February 20th, 2026, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Chinese Classical Concert
洪梓乔Ziqiao Hong
Ziqiao Hong is a senior student at the University at Buffalo with nearly 10 years of professional experience specializing in the pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument, and holds a Grade 9 certification from the China Nationalities Orchestra Society. As a pipa performer, she has participated in numerous high-profile events, including the University at Buffalo Chinese Students and Scholars Association (UBCSSA) Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival celebrations, the 2023 Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, and the 2024 Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Event. Her performances showcase the richness of Chinese musical heritage to diverse audiences, reflecting both her technical proficiency and dedication to preserving and sharing traditional Chinese culture.
Lily Li
Lily Li is a pianist, music educator, and collaborative pianist originally from Guangzhou, China. She works as a community collaborative pianist at the SUNY Fredonia School of Music, is an active performer, and directs the Lily Li Piano Studio.
Lily earned her Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from SUNY Fredonia and her BA in Music Education from the Xinghai Conservatory of Music. With over 25 years of experience, she enjoys teaching students of all ages both in person and online. She is committed to supporting young musicians in her community and abroad, and currently serves as the Vice President for Competitions for the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Outside of her musical life, Lily is a mom of two young boys. She enjoys art, painting, and traveling with her family in her free time.
For more information, please visit her website at pianistlilyli.com.
Lily earned her Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from SUNY Fredonia and her BA in Music Education from the Xinghai Conservatory of Music. With over 25 years of experience, she enjoys teaching students of all ages both in person and online. She is committed to supporting young musicians in her community and abroad, and currently serves as the Vice President for Competitions for the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Outside of her musical life, Lily is a mom of two young boys. She enjoys art, painting, and traveling with her family in her free time.
For more information, please visit her website at pianistlilyli.com.
Andrew Lin
Dr. Andrew Lin is an accomplished musician and dedicated educator based in Buffalo, New York. He is a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and is deeply committed to music education. Dr. Lin offers private violin instruction at his home studio, working with students of all ages and skill levels. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and a Master of Music from Boston University, as well as a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern California. Beyond his musical pursuits, Dr. Lin enjoys brewing various types of high-mountain roasted oolong tea, reading Japanese manga, and traveling for photography. For more information, please visit his website at andrewlinviolin.com.
Buffalo Chinese School – Grade 5 Chorus
The Buffalo Chinese School Grade 5 Chorus brings together students who are developing their Mandarin language skills through music. Singing in Chinese helps students strengthen pronunciation, rhythm, and expression, while also deepening their cultural understanding and confidence.
Today, the chorus performs “Planting the Sun,” one of the most classic and beloved Chinese children’s songs. Bright, hopeful, and full of imagination, the song expresses a child’s wish to “plant suns” so the world can be warm, joyful, and filled with light. Through its simple melody and meaningful message, the song encourages kindness, optimism, and care for others.
This performance reflects the joy of learning Chinese through music and celebrates the voices, creativity, and shared spirit of our students.
Today, the chorus performs “Planting the Sun,” one of the most classic and beloved Chinese children’s songs. Bright, hopeful, and full of imagination, the song expresses a child’s wish to “plant suns” so the world can be warm, joyful, and filled with light. Through its simple melody and meaningful message, the song encourages kindness, optimism, and care for others.
This performance reflects the joy of learning Chinese through music and celebrates the voices, creativity, and shared spirit of our students.