Other Culture Events
Lantern Festival Gala
The Lantern Festival, also called Yuanxiao Festival, is a Chinese traditional festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month on the lunar calendar. Aiming to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness, Lantern Festival marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Lunar New Year celebration. Prior to the pandemic, we had hosted Lantern Festival celebrations for a few years at the Epic Center during Art Hop.
In 2023, we were happy to expand this celebration to reach more hearts with support from our diverse community. Our program included performances from the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Community Voice (Crescendo Academy of Music), award winning Peking Opera actress and local dance groups, and many more.
Lunar New Year Gala at WMU
The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the biggest celebrations in China and many other Asian countries such as South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore.
2022 Lunar New Year Gala
The 2022 Virtual Lunar New Year Gala at WMU featured entertainment, including songs, dances, musical instruments, and many more. The theme for this year’s gala was “Together We Are Stronger.” Performances were given by WMU and its global and community partners.
2021 Lunar New Year Gala
Please click the button below to watch the 2021 Lunar New Year Gala at WMU on YouTube.
China Festival at WMU
The annual festival commemorates the tradition of the Chinese Moon Festival, which is celebrated in China in mid-autumn. The first China Festival at WMU was held on WMU’s main campus on September 27, 2014. Featured events included dance and music performances, ping-pong tournament finals, hands-on activities, Chinese art exhibitions and informational display booths. Over the years, this annual event has become a new tradition at Kalamazoo, and the South West Michigan area.
