As the Lunar New Year is right around the corner, people from all over the world are celebrating the year of the rat all together! With the support of Ministry of Culture and Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, Asian-Canadian Special Events Association (ACSEA) is holding LunarFest 2020 for the Lunar New Year celebrations. The programs include Taiwanese artists Kuan-Chi Su and Yu-Ru Liao presenting “the Castles and the Lifestyles” at Oakridge Centre Vancouver, which are supersized installations of paper-cutting and pop-up books, showcasing cultural diversities from Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, and China in terms of landscapes and connotations. In addition, Chai Found Music Workshop will bring “A Musical Banquet: A Feast of Sumptuous Classical Music” performances at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the Sid Williams Theatre, and the Living Arts Centre – Hammerson Hall plus one workshop.
To enjoy the LunarFest 2020, people can stop by at Oakridge Centre to take a look on artist Kuan-Chi Su’s artwork which is based on a pop-up book concept. He illustrates his observations of the following cultures: “Ambitious” to describe Taiwanese, “Innovate” to describe Korean, “Renaissance” to describe Vietnamese, and “Majestic” to describe Chinese. Also, Taiwanese artist Yu-Ru Liao and local artist Flavia Chan’s artworks of paper-cutting will be featured during the festival. Artworks at the Oakridge Centre will be displayed until February 10th, 2020.
“A Musical Banquet: A Feast of Sumptuous Classical Music” from the Chai Found Music workshop is combined with wind and percussion ensemble. What’s more, the performance is enhanced with theatrical elements in order to present Taiwanese “bandoh” (street banquet) culture. This program will be presented at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on January 25th; at the Sid Williams Theatre on January 27th; and at the Living Arts Centre-Hammerson Hall, Mississauga on February 1st. Everyone is welcome to join the gravy banquet!
Moreover, there will be a “Doors Open” event at Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza on January 25th and 26th. Various cultural arts performances, handmaking crafts try-outs, and family-friendly games will be presented throughout the event. Also, Costal Lunar Lanterns features eight towering lanterns at Jack Poole Plaza, shining like a beacon for multiculturalism that Vancouver has become known for.
For more information for the LunarFest, please visit https://lunarfest.org/.
Major LunarFest 2020 events in Vancouver:
| Date | Program title/ Location | Timeline |
| Jan 16 – Feb 10 | “the Castles and the Lifestyles”
at Oakridge Centre | Depends on mall operating hours |
| Jan 18 – Feb 9 | “Costal Lunar Lanterns”
at Jack Poole Plaza | 8 am - 11 pm/every day during the program period |
| Jan 25 | “A Musical Banquet”
at Queen Elizabeth Theatre | 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
| Jan 25 – Jan 26 | “Doors Open”
at Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza | 11 am - 6 pm /every day during the program period |