MOCA Reveals 2024 MOCA FEST to Celebrate Lunar New Year

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) announced its 2024 MOCA FEST, an annual celebration of the Lunar New Year with programming for all ages. This Lunar New Year, the Year of the Wood Dragon, starts on February 10, 2024, and the museum will host activities for all ages from February 1, 2024, through February 29, 2024.

The popular Lunar New Year Family Festival will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2024, with hands-on activities and workshops for families. To learn more about this year’s MOCA FEST events, please visit – www.mocanyc.org/calendar.

MOCA FEST 2024 Event Schedule:

Taste and Toast: A Celebration of Tea, February 1, 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Celebrating the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and Tea Drunk cordially invite you to an evening that transcends an ordinary tea-tasting event. Explore the exquisite realms of terroir, cultivar, and vintage-specific teas, elegantly presented by Shunan Teng, founder of Tea Drunk.

MOCACREATE: Lunar New Year Museum Makeover with Teaching Artist Yu Rong, February 3, 2023, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Guests can participate in MOCA’s makeover tradition by making handmade decorations to celebrate Lunar New Year and liven up the museum. Join teaching artist Yu Rong in transforming our space with colorful creations, which will be displayed during our annual Lunar New Year Family Festival. This year’s makeover will feature a giant collaborative dragon!

MOCATALKS:  Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith. Chinese Almanac: Year of the Dragon, February 8, 2024, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Since the introduction of their Pocket Chinese Almanac at MOCA in 2010, Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith have become an integral part of our Lunar New Year celebrations, bringing a unique blend of cultural expertise and insightful foresight. Their annual predictions have turned into a staple for many who seek to navigate the year ahead with wisdom and understanding.

LUNAR NEW YEAR MIXER: Year of the Dragon Celebration, February 15, 2024, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm     

Embark on a mythical journey at the Museum of Chinese in America for our Lunar New Year Mixer as we celebrate the powerful and auspicious Year of the Dragon with a band performance, a drag show, and an electrifying DJ set. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of renewal, celebration, and ushering in fortune and prosperity.

Lunar New Year Family Festival Event, Saturday, February 17, 2024, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Visitors of all ages are invited to celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a fun-filled day of activities including zodiac-themed arts and crafts, lively music and dance performances, festive snacks, and storytelling, all inspired by Chinese and Chinese American New Year’s traditions!

- Spring Festival Dances with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company – 2:15 pm

- New Year Nibbles: Food Sampling 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

- The Great Race Gallery Hunt – 2:45 pm & 4:45 pm

- MOCAKIDS Author Meet and Greet with Michelle Wong McSween – 3:00 pm

- Fanciful, Floating Fans: Fan Dance Workshop with Mei-Yin Ng – 3:00 pm & 3:45 pm

- Captivating Confections: Dragon’s Beard Candy Making Demonstration with Chef Chris Cheung – 3:00 pm

- MOCAKIDS Author Meet & Greet with Ms. Pauline – 3:45 pm

- La Mian for Longevity: A Noodle Pulling Demo with Lu Zhang – 4:00 pm

- MOCAKIDS Storytime: Lunar New Year Legends – 4:15 pm

- Sounds of the New Year with Danting Qiao – 4:30 pm

Drop-In Arts & Crafts: Dazzling Dragons & Wishful Fish & Lucky Red Bracelets – 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

MOCA PERFORMS: Lunar New Year Concert with New Asia Chamber Music Society, February 29, 2024, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Embark on a musical odyssey with the New Asia Chamber Music Society! Join us for an extraordinary concert featuring a captivating repertoire that explores the mystique of dragons. From majestic Western classical pieces to vibrant transcriptions of Asian traditional and popular songs, this performance celebrates the rich cultural symbolism of these mythical creatures.