Pacific Symphony Celebrates Lunar New Year With Fifth Annual Orange County Lantern Festival

For the fifth year in a row, Pacific Symphony and South Coast Chinese Cultural Center/Irvine Chinese School join hands to present a free, fun, family-friendly Lantern Festival, commemorating the end of the Lunar New Year celebration.

The festival, spread throughout the concert hall and the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, features pan-Asian culture, music and arts, including a variety of colorful performances showcasing local music and dance groups. Entire families are encouraged to come and celebrate the Year of the Rat with numerous activities traditionally associated with Lantern Festival, a pan-Asian festival traditionally celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year! Make sure to stay updated on our social media channels, as we broadcast live some of the event's highlights on Instagram.

The Lantern Festival takes place on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, with performances in the theater, activities in the lobby and interactive demonstrations on the Argyros Plaza. The event is free and open to the public, but due to the limited capacity, remaining available tickets will go fast. Entry is first-come, first-served; tickets must be reserved in advance through PacificSymphony.org, or with our Box Office at (714) 755-5799. Guests are encouraged to bring cash for the numerous activities, including the popular lantern making Lantern with Bowers Museum. The Lantern Festival is made possible through the support of the James Irvine Foundation, and is presented in cooperation with Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

As in years past, this Lantern Festival community celebration will include a variety of musical and performing arts acts and activities, such as performances by the Pacific Symphony Chamber Ensemble, the South Coast Chinese Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Youth Octet, Pacific Symphony Santiago String Quartet and the Irvine Chinese Chorus. Activities such as lantern making, Vietnamese wood block art and Chinese knotting will keep the whole family busy. Don't miss the numerous photo opportunities, like where festival-goers can try on traditional Áo Dài Vietnamese outfits, and the finale of the day: the colorful Dragon Dance!

2019 Lantern Festival Lineup

Performances:

• Lion Dance
• Pacific Symphony Chamber Ensemble
• Chinese Folk Dance
• Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings Quartet
• Korean American Youth Performing Artists
• South Coast Chinese Orchestra
• Strings for Generations
• Irvine Chinese Chorus
• Vietnamese Traditional Arts Development Organization
• South Coast Chinese Drum Group
• Pacific Symphony Youth Octet
• New Orange County Children's Chorus

Demonstrations:

• Lion Dance
• Thai Chi Sword
• Meet the Musician
• Beijing Opera
• Áo Dài Fashion Show
• Chinese Instruments
• Samulnori
• Chinese Folk Dance
• Ancient Chinese Hair
• Chinese Traditional New Year Food

Installations:

• Lantern installation
• Riddles
• Traditional Chinese and Vietnamese dress

Indoor Booths:

• Welcome tables
• Costume booth
• Photo booth
• Bowers Lantern Decoration
• Riddle Prize Table
• Vietnamese Wood Block Art
• Calligraphy
• Chinese knotting
• Red envelope lantern making

Outdoor Booths:

• Red envelope lantern making
• Calligraphy
• U.S. Census booth

Artists, programs, prices and dates are subject to change.

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