Brooklyn Children’s Museum ushers in the Year of the Dragon with storytelling from authors Michele Wong McSween and Yobe Qiu; live music, dance, and kung fu workshops with the New York Chinese Cultural Center; calligraphy workshops with artist Nelson Leung, and a rooftop lion dance parade led by the Chinatown Community Young Lions. 

This year’s festival features programs that include:

Intro to Kung Fu
Get an up-close demonstration of kung fu, presented by martial artists from the New York Chinese Cultural Center. Following the presentation, visitors are invited to take part in a hands-on workshop that introduces kung fu and teaches basic stances, strikes, and other techniques.

The Story of Lunar New Year
Join the New York Chinese Cultural Center in BCM’s auditorium to discover the traditions of Lunar New Year. This 30-minute program features a variety of performances, including a youth choir, Chinese folk music, and classical dance pieces.

Traditional Lion Dance
Gather in the BCM lobby to participate in a traditional lion dance to bring luck in the new year. Performers from the Chinatown Community Young Lions lead this parade with full-scale, authentic lion dance costumes!

Storytelling with author Yobe Qiu
Meet author Yobe Qiu and participate in an interactive reading of Yobe’s book, Our Lunar New Year. This program includes an introduction to Lunar New Year traditions and customs, followed by a 30-minute fan painting and lantern-making workshop.

Storytelling with author Michele Wong McSween
Hear stories read aloud by children’s book author Michele Wong McSween! This program includes a mini mandarin lesson and an interactive reading of Michele’s book, Gordon & Li Li: Celebrate Chinese New Year.

Calligraphy Workshop
BCM invites visitors to its ColorLab Art Studio to learn about and create your own Chinese calligraphy using brush and ink. Artist Nelson Leung shares his work, guides the project, and explains the significance of Chinese calligraphy.

Scales of a Dragon
What's your wish for the New Year? Contribute to a community art project in by writing your hopes and goals down on a paper 'scale,' then adding it to BCM’s Big Dragon along the ColorLab Art Studio wall.