2025 Lunar New Year
Join us on February 08
2025 marks the Year of the Snake, symbolizing transformation, renewal, and spiritual growth. With New York State Public Schools now recognizing Lunar New Year as a holiday to honor Asian American Pacific Islander culture and history, APAPA Rochester, Monroe Community College, and WXXI Public Media are delighted to host the Lunar New Year 2025 celebration for the Rochester community!

Join us to explore cultural activities for all ages, enjoy food and browse local vendors, and learn about the traditions welcoming the new year from across the world. Don't miss the karaoke competition and cultural performances! Community resources and partners will also be on site.

FREE ENTRY. Traditional or cultural dress is welcome! Please RSVP so we can prepare.
Location
Monroe Community College
Thomas Flynn Campus Center - Building 3
1000 E Henrietta Rd, Rochester, NY 14623
Date & Time
February 8, 2025
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Schedule
12:45 pM
Doors open
1:00 pM
Festival begins - lion dance and MUSIC PERFORMANCES
Kick off the new year with a lion dance performance from RIT's Yishu Club! Then our hosts welcome everyone to this year's Lunar New Year celebration, with an array of musical performances.
1:30 pM
Karaoke competition
Enjoy some friendly competition as our karaoke competition finalists perform live at the festival! Cheer on your favorite songs or performers as they take the stage for a chance to win the Rochester Lunar New Year Celebration Community Karaoke Competition! $1,000 worth of prizes will be given out to winners!
2:00 pM
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
2:15 pM
STORY TIME FOR CHILDREN
Learn about the story of the Lunar New Year in a special story time for children with Mimi from APAA.
2:30 pM
DANCE SHOWCASE & KARAOKE WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Enjoy cultural dance performances from Rochester's own diverse community to ring in the Lunar New Year.
3:30 pM
martial arts demo
Agape Black Belt Center will showcase an impressive taekwondo demonstration.
3:45 pM
Bowing ceremony
Participate in a traditional New Year's Day bowing ceremony to show gratitude to elders. Children bow to their elders in order to receive their red envelopes.
4:00 pM
FESTIVAL ENDS
Food, interactive cultural activities, and community engagement opportunities available throughout the whole event.
Event map
vendors AND PARTNERS
Explore our local vendors: shop, eat, and discover the surprises that Rochester has to offer from bubble tea to colorful art and specialty gifts. Our community partners offer cultural education for all ages, as well as provide vital community and governmental services and resources.
CNY Lanterns
Vietnamese lanterns and shirts
CRUST PIE CO.
FILIPINTA BEAUTY
JOY MART
SODEXO
Chicken pho, pork banh mi, vegetable egg rolls, potstickers
TAICHI TEA
TRINH TORO
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Agape Black Belt Center * Ageless Qigong * APAA (Asian Pacific Islander American Association) * CDCPS YG Lion Dancers * Chinese School of Rochester * Common Ground Health * Dr. Ray Dorsey/UR Health & Technology * Ikebana International Rochester Chapter * JustCause * Korean Culture * Lifespan of Greater Rochester * MCC Global Union * MCC Student Government Cultural Alliance * Monroe County Board of Elections * Monroe County Dept of Human Resources * Monroe County Office of Mental Health * Mountain River Traveler * NYS Dept of Human Resources * RIT Asian Culture Society * RIT Chinese Brush Calligraphy Club, * Rochester Public Library * URMC/Mental Health and Wellness * URMC/Wilmot Cancer Institute * WXXI Education
performers
Agape Black Belt Center: Agape Black Belt Center’s mission is to help strengthen students in mind, body, and spirit, resulting in individuals better equipped to handle life’s challenges and pursue a more fulfilling future since 1973.

Bri (Kora Academy): Bri is a performer and founder of Kora Academy, a dance school that teaches K-Pop style Choreography to K-pop Music in the Rochester area.

Chan Brothers Guitar Duo: Odin Chan (10 years old) is a dedicated student at Gates Chili with a passion for music and the arts. He has been learning guitar for five years and actively participates in the ECMS Youth Guitar Ensembles. Beyond music, Odin enjoys expressing his creativity through origami, crafts, and building with LEGO. His diverse interests reflect his curiosity and love for hands-on learning.

Septon Chan (12 years old) is a passionate musician and student at Gates Chili. He has been learning guitar for eight years and is an active ECMS Youth Guitar Ensembles member. When he's not playing music, Septon enjoys gaming, basketball, and spending time outdoors. His love for creative and active pursuits reflects his well-rounded personality and enthusiasm for learning.

Children of Light, Rochester Chinese Christian Church: A dance group from the Rochester Chinese Christian Church performs classical Chinese dances. Their performance will feature upbeat music and lively dance, vividly describing the custom and images of the long street, and the recovery of all things in the coming new year.

Chinese Music Ensemble of Rochester: The Chinese Music Ensemble of Rochester was founded in 2014 by a group of traditional Chinese Music performers residing in the Great Rochester Area. Consisting of professional musicians, music instructors, performers and students, the ensemble aims to promote Chinese Music and inculcate the love of Chinese culture and arts through performances, workshops and community events in the region.

Chinese School of Rochester: Advanced dance class from the Chinese School of Rochester, which has served the community in Chinese language and culture for over 20 years. CSR not only teaches students Chinese language and culture but also fosters an appreciation for Chinese cultural heritage and cultural diversity in the community.

Kaitlyn Moy: Kaitlyn Moy is a 4th year Computing Security BS at RIT. Originally from Chicago, she studied Chinese classical dance starting at the age of 3. She has won competitions in the States and also has performed internationally.

Phoenix Dance Studio: Formed in 2008 with passionate dancers, the studio interacts with it members in a variety of ways through performances for the community. The dance studio is dedicated to dance education and sharing the many factors of Chinese traditional dance.

RIT Yishu Club: A group at RIT dedicated to spreading Chinese traditional dance with the community by teaching and performing, including the famous lion dance.

Rochester Korean Percussion Ensemble: Established in 2022 in Rochester, the Rochester Korea Percussion Ensemble is dedicated to performing and educating the community about the rich traditions of Korean percussion music. Specializing in the Janggu, the iconic Korean hourglass drum, the ensemble brings the vibrant rhythms and cultural heritage of Korea to life. Through their dynamic presentations, the ensemble seeks to foster a deeper appreciation for Korean music and culture within the Rochester area.
Click HERE to learn more about the state and community leaders who will be joining us!
Click HERE to meet the APAPA Rochester board and the people behind this Lunar New Year Festival!
join us!
Monroe Community College - Brighton Campus
Thomas Flynn Campus Center - Building 3
1000 E Henrietta Rd, Rochester, NY 14623
BUILDING 3
The Lunar New Year celebration will take place in the Thomas Flynn Campus Center - Building 3.

PARKING
Free parking is available in Lot M and Lot N, adjacent to Building 3.

See map below.
Additional Support
We thank the following contributors for helping us make this program possible:
APAA of Greater Rochester
Canandaigua National Bank & Trust
Senator Jeremy Cooney
Assemblymember Jen Lunsford
Reliant Credit Union
We look forward to celebrating with you! Entry is free but please RSVP so we know you are coming.
about us
APAPA stands for Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs and is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting civic participation, mentorship, and leadership development among the AAPI population while also fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation among all community members. Our chapter is one of the newest additions to the national organization (all chapters are volunteer-driven)! We have been working tirelessly to empower, educate, and engage the Asian Pacific Islander American (AAPI) community in the greater Rochester area. For more information or to donate to our chapter, please visit www.apapa.org.

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