By Kun Shi, City Director for Xiamen (Siming)

 

The Sister Cities Association of Sarasota (SCAS) held its second annual Lunar New Year event on February 2, 2025, co-sponsored with the Ringling College of Art and Design to celebrate the year of the Snake.

The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is a vibrant celebration of the start of the lunar calendar. It’s filled with centuries-old traditions, dazzling performances, and regional delicacies that symbolize renewal, prosperity, and good fortune. In the Chinese zodiac, the Snake is associated with wisdom, charm, elegance, and transformation. People born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be intuitive, strategic, and intelligent.

The two-hour free event on the Ringling College campus was full of hands-on cultural activities and dance and music performances. Most notably, we planned for 300 participants, but 500 or more showed up to enjoy the Lunar New Year celebration. Next year, we should prepare for more snacks and Chinese New Year greeting cards giveaways.

See Suncoast 7’s coverage of the event here!

Mayor Liz Alpert, Vice Mayor Debbie Trice, and other dignitaries attended the event. Opening remarks were delivered by Mayor Alpert and representatives of the two co-sponsors before the spectacular lion dance by the Mt. Song Martial Art Academy from Tampa. Following the Chinese tradition, the dancing lions and three children selected from the audience were given red envelopes. The event was hosted by Kun Shi (SCAS City Director of Xiamen-Siming) and Tracy Lesh (an expert on tea culture).

The cultural performances covered various areas. They included the opening and closing traditional dances by the Zen Rhythm Dance Group (assisted by children from Tatum Ridge Elementary School); ethnic dances by Ping Wang, Fengming Wei, and Alinuer Wumaer; music of four traditional instruments by Baozheng Li; Peking opera by Linda Carroll; and martial art by Mt. Song Martial Art Academy.

Before and after the performances, we provided hands-on experience in Chinese calligraphy, paper-folding art, and tea tasting. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience at the event and afterward, showcasing the positive impact SCAS has on communities in Sarasota and beyond.

Great appreciation goes to the sponsors (SCAS and Ringling College), volunteers, and the following donors: MD Oriental Market, UTC Sarasota, Jason Liu, Margie Kam, Teresa Haddock, Sarasota Chinese Academy, and Larry Lee Bennison. The event would not have been possible without their support and the support of the greater community.

 

This joyous holiday is a time-honored expression of Chinese culture and heritage, and it was recently inscribed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List by UNESCO. A similar tradition is observed in some Asian countries and Chinese communities around the world and we at SCAS are honored to bring it to Sarasota and look forward to another wonderful event in 2026.