Lunar New Year originated in ancient China over 3000 years ago as a celebration of the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Today, it is widely celebrated as a cultural and religious observation in many East and Southeast Asian cultures, including China, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, to name a few. The festival is widely celebrated to foster cultural pride and unity and emphasizes family reunions and ancestral homage while ushering in hopes for a prosperous year ahead. 2024 celebrates the Year of the Dragon. 

Lunar New Year is a 15-day celebration that started this year on Feb. 10, 2024. The University is excited to host the 2024 Lunar New Year Celebration on the second-to-last day of the Lunar New Year on Feb. 23, 2024, from 6 to 9 p.m., in the Joe Crowley Student Union Ballrooms. University students, faculty, staff and the community are all invited to attend this free celebration.

The event this year will have multiple elements including community partners, cultural activities, performances and food.

The Lunar New Year celebration holds significance for University students and the community in Reno because it showcases and celebrates the rich cultural diversity within the University’s student body and the broader Reno community. It is an opportunity to share their traditions, customs and heritage with others.  It also allows them to celebrate their cultural heritage while they are away from home. In addition, it fosters a sense of community and belonging to our API students and offers an educational opportunity for students and communities who may not be familiar with Lunar New Year to learn, appreciate and build relationships with others.

Community partners

Multiple organizations from the University and the community will host different activities that are typically celebrated during Lunar New Year, such as lantern riddles, mahjong, Big 2 card game, Chinese calligraphy and paper cutting, to name a few. Multiple community organizations will also be present to share resources that can be accessed by students.

Performances

The University is excited to have Little Swan Dancers, a local dance academy directed by Director Jian Zhu Powell, who will be performing authentic Asian Folk Dance performances. It is also excited to have Urban Dance Club join in for K-pop performances, as well as Lambda Psi Rho Fraternity, Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority and Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. for strolling.

Food

Symbolism is important when it comes to celebrating Lunar New Year, especially for some communities. There will be a catered menu that not only supports small, Asian-owned local businesses in Reno, but also offers food items typically enjoyed during Lunar New Year festivities. For example, dumplings are usually eaten within Chinese communities to symbolize good wealth as their shape resembles an ancient Chinese gold ingot, whereas noodles symbolize longevity.

Sponsors

The University would also like to thank the sponsors that supported this event: The Multicultural Center; Residential Life Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion (DSJI) committee; Joe Crowley Student Union; ASUN's Department of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA); Residence Hall Association (RHA); University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC); Asian Community Development Council (ACDC); One APIA Nevada; and The College of Liberal Arts (CLA).

History of the event on campus

This is a signature program hosted by the Multicultural Center and Diversity, Social Justice, and Inclusion Committee from the Residential Life department.

Keola Wong, coordinator for Asian Pacific Islander Student Services at the University, has led the efforts of organizing the Lunar New Year celebration from the Multicultural Center since 2020. Wong was joined by the Diversity, Social Justice and Inclusion (DSJI) committee in the Department of Residential Life, Housing and Food Services (RLHFS) for the 2023 Lunar New Year celebration, where Yi Xuen Tay, resident director, and a few RLHFS staff members came in as partners.

Along with the ASUN Department of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) and the Joe Crowley Student Union Ballroom, the University was able to make last year's 2023 Lunar New Year celebration a huge success with over 500 attendees including University students, staff, faculty and those from the broader Reno community. 

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) has hosted Lunar New Year celebrations in previous years.

Lunar New Year is one of the biggest holidays in the Asian community as it is celebrated across different ethnic groups and countries around the world and we hope you will join us in the celebration this year!