BRATTLEBORO — The Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT) will present the Lunar New Year Festival of China, Vietnam, and Korea on Sunday, Jan. 15, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, 10 Vernon St. Parking is available in the lot at 28 Vernon St.
Ushering in the Year of the Dragon, this annual celebration begins with eating together. It's a potluck, so bring a dish or some refreshments to share, either Asian or non-Asian. There will be a craft and coloring table for younger children, t'ai chi demonstrations, group calligraphy mural, Chinese exercises, Lunar New Year songs, and more.
This year's festival also features demonstrations by a local martial arts dojo. Shortly after 3 p.m., the giant Vietnamese Dragon will enter, to forever dance after the heavenly pearl in a community parade along Main Street. (Participants should dress warmly for the weather.)
According to the Chinese New Year website,“The Year of the Dragon will be marked by excitement, unpredictability, exhilaration, and intensity.... The Dragons are the free spirits of the Chinese Zodiac.... People born under the Dragon are passionate, brave and self-assured. At their best, they are pioneering spirits....This Chinese New Year 2012 ushers in the Water Dragon. Water exerts a calming influence on the Dragon's innate fire.”
For further information, visit accvt.org, or contact ACCVT executive director Adam Silver at 802-257-7898, ext. 1, or 802-579-9088, or ACCVT board president Michelle Mahin at 413-244-3016. All ages are welcome to this public event. The festival is free, but donations to ACCVT, a nonprofit educational resource organization, are always greatly appreciated.