Addison County BIPOC+ and Town Hall Theater Present First Annual LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Lunar New Year is a celebration of family, feasting, and good fortune observed  by millions of people around the world, particularly in East and Southeast Asia and in diasporic communities. On Sunday, February 11, Addison County BIPOC+, in partnership with Middlebury's Town Hall Theater, present their first annual Lunar New Year celebration for the whole community. 

This free event showcases dance, art, and crafts from different Asian traditions, and culminates with a talk with E. Tammy Kim, contributing writer for The New Yorker and founding co-host of the podcast “Time to Say Goodbye.” Moderators are Serena Kim of Swift House Inn and Rachael Joo, American studies professor at Middlebury College. Food and beverage will be available for purchase from vendors such as Stone Leaf Tea House and Sabai Sabai.

To mark the Year of the Dragon, Town Hall Theater will glow with paper lanterns and feature a variety of Lunar New Year presentations on its main stage, as well as crafting in the Byers Studio. The outline of activities includes:

12:30–1:30 pm: Tae Kwon Do demonstration with Master Kellie Thomas
1:30–3:30 pm: Family-friendly storytime and dragon-themed crafts and activities
3:30–4:15 pm: Performances and Demonstrations on the THT main stage: Chinese fan dance, Korean pungmul drumming, Chinese wushu
4:30 pm: Chinese calligraphy/painting demo with Yinglei Zhang
5:30–6:30 pm: A conversation on Asian American identities with The New Yorker's contributor E. Tammy Kim on transnational Asianness and shifting perspectives on Asian America.

“Lunar New Year has been an important part of our identities and that of our communities,” co-organizers Natasha Chang and HaQuyen Pham said. “In the past, we needed to travel out of town in order to find celebrations, so we are excited to ring in the Year of the Dragon with our friends and neighbors right here in Addison County.” Chang and Pham facilitate Addison County BIPOC+, an affinity space for self-identified Black, Indigenous, People of color (BIPOC) and family members (+) living in and around Addison County, Vermont.

“Town Hall Theater is dedicated to showcasing a diversity of voices and traditions.” THT Executive Director Lisa Mitchell said. “We look forward to shining the spotlight on Lunar New Year and look forward to partnering with Addison County BIPOC+ for many years to come.”

This event is free, thanks to grant support. Space is limited and must be reserved via townhalltheater.org or by calling the box office at 802-382-9222.

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