The Crow Collection Of Asian Art will celebrate the Chinese New Year, and the Year of the Ram with a spectacular street festival Saturday (Feb. 21) in the Dallas Arts District. A spectacular Dragon and Lion Dance, cultural performances, martial arts demos, live music, food trucks, fireworks, arts and crafts, wellness activities and Museum tours are on tap (see media advisory and schedule below). Free and open to the public, the 16th annual festival will be from 11 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Highlights include traditional Chinese New Year art-making activities such as decorating red envelopes and making sheep headbands and glowing paper lanterns, plus calligraphy demonstrations, face painting, fortune telling, photo booth and family yoga. The day also includes non-stop entertainment on the Main Stage.
Check out the schedule:
11 a.m.–Noon | JK Wong Kung Fu Tai Chi Academy Four-Lion Dance. The four-member Lion and Dragon Dances bring good luck and fortune for the new year with their stylistic movements and rich symbolism.
Noon–12:15 p.m. | Chinese Folk Singers. Enjoy a solo performance of Hometown by Jinhong Liu and a duet performance of Autumn Cicada.
12:15–12:45 p.m. | Jiaping Shi Dance School. Featuring exquisite costumes and clothing, the group will present a variety of traditional Chinese dances, including On the Love of Lotus, Kang Ding Love Song, and Spring Dawn.
12:45–1:30 p.m. | HuaYun Chinese Orchestra. Founded in 2012, this group features traditional instruments such as Erhu, Banhu (strings), Pipa, Zheng, Ruan (plucked strings), bamboo flute (woodwind), and Yangqin (percussion).
1:45–2:15 p.m. | UTD Chinese Dancing Crew. This group was registered as an official dance team at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2013. They perform Jazz, Popping, Locking and Hip-hop styles both on and off campus.
2:15–2:45 p.m. | Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Listen to the smooth sounds of this jazz ensemble, recently selected as a finalist in the 58th annual Monterey Jazz Festival.
2:45–3:15 p.m. | Magician. Enjoy a magical performance by Ben Tsao, one of the few Asian comedy magician acts in the DFW area.
From 3:15 – 7 p.m. | Performances by the Jasmines Chinese Dance Troupe, Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra, SMU Meadows World Music Ensemble, Chinese New Year Trivia Intermission contest, JK Wong Academy presenting a Nine-Lion Dance and Kung Fu Show
7:15 p.m. | Fireworks by Star S Productions SFX. Fireworks and a lighted ram syncopated with music: Symphony 1997—Jubilation by Tan Dun.
The Crow Collection of Asian Art features a variety of spaces and galleries with changing exhibitions of the arts of China, Japan, India, Korea and Southeast Asia drawn from cultures ancient and contemporary. Sixteen years in operation, this lovingly curated free museum offers a serene setting for quiet reflection in the heart of the Dallas Arts District. Dedicated to providing art and service to the Dallas-Fort Worth community with an emphasis on shared learning and fun, the Crow Collection has recently expanded its offerings with a lushly landscaped outdoor Sculpture Garden, a pedestrian-friendly lobby and entrance, and a Samurai Gallery to showcase the museum’s spectacular acquisition of a complete set of armor, considered one of the finest of its kind in the world.
