Dutchess County Arts Council Folk Arts Program
presents a Chinese New Year Celebration!
Poughkeepsie, NY - January 24, 2012 The Dutchess County Arts Council (DCAC) Folk Arts Program and the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum, in collaboration with Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center, present a Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 11, 2012, 10:30 am-11:30 am at the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum.
Chinese New Year is the most important holiday within Chinese culture. Throughout the world the holiday is celebrated with local festivals, family gatherings, firecrackers, music, dance, and traditional foods. Here in the Mid-Hudson Valley, Chinese and Chinese-Americans assemble to celebrate the holiday with friends and family.
The February 11 collaborative program at the Children's Museum brings Chinese culture to a wider audience and invites the public to be active participants in welcoming the New Year. At this interactive program, children will participate in and learn about activities associated with Chinese festivals, including traditional Chinese folk dances, Chinese yo-yo, and WuShu (Chinese martial arts). Hands-on activities for children include learning to use chopsticks while playing a chopsticks game, and learning the delicate balance of Chinese yo-yo. Additionally, interested audience members can participate in an informal dance lesson to learn a Chinese and a Taiwanese folk dance.
This year the Chinese New Year commenced on January 23, the beginning of a two-week period of celebration. Traditionally, New Year festivities begin on the first day of the first moon of the lunar calendar and continue until the moon is at its fullest and brightest 15 days later. The latter lunar occurrence marks the beginning of the Chinese astrology year, which this year takes place on February 4. Children are welcome to move through the interactive program. Admission is free and open to the public. Museum admission is not included in the program but is available, and encouraged. Museum admission is $7.50 per person. The Mid-Hudson Children's Museum is located at 75 North Water Street in Poughkeepsie (right turn off Lower Main Street, downtown Poughkeepsie; adjacent to Waryas Park), overlooking the Hudson River. For further information, contact DCAC at 845-454-3222 or the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum at 845-471-0589, or visit these organizations' websites at www.artmidhudson.org and www.mhcm.org.
The DCAC Folk Arts Program researches and presents the arts and traditions that form our diverse communities' cultural heritages. Through educational public programs, the Folk Arts Program interprets the traditions of ethnic, occupational, and religious groups in the Mid-Hudson region. The program is open to ideas and suggestions about how to assist in celebrating your community's heritage. The Mid-Hudson Children's Museum is an educational resource center that provides children a creative learning environment where hands-on experiences spark curiosity, discovery and the joy of exploration. The Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center is a community organization that offers Chinese language and culture classes, and encourages appreciation of Chinese culture through its classes and public outreach.
Chinese New Year Celebration Saturday, February 11, 2012 10:30 am - 11:30 am @ Mid-Hudson Children's Museum (75 North Water Street, Poughkeepsie)
About Dutchess County Arts Council
The Dutchess County Arts Council, founded in 1964, is a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting artists and arts organizations in the Mid-Hudson Valley region. The mission of the Dutchess County Arts Council is to provide the leadership, funding, encouragement, and services necessary for the highest quality of art to thrive in our county and region, and for citizens to value the arts as an important part of daily life, economy, and social fabric of our communities.
Programs and activities include: grants to established organizations, community based projects and Arts in Education programs; folk arts research and presentation; technical assistance, professional development, and cultural community networking opportunities; awareness and advocacy; and community-wide fundraising efforts including the Dutchess County Art Fund. Programs are funded by the County of Dutchess, the New York State Council on the Arts, and private donors. The Arts Council was voted one of the top Regional Arts Council by readers of Art Calendar Magazine, January 2009.
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