Please join us in celebrating the Year of the Pig, a symbol of good fortune and prosperity!
All Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Chinese New Year Celebration and Lantern Procession
** Please Note – the date of this event has been changed to:
Saturday, February 9
Maggie Daley Park
Lantern Procession Line-up – 5:00 pm *
Lantern Procession – 5:30 pm
Activities at Maggie Daley Park – 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Celebrate the Year of the Pig with a lion dance-led lantern procession! The procession will be lining up across from the Art Institute’s Modern Wing on the West side of The Lurie Garden (look for the lanterns!). Continue the celebration at Maggie Daley Park with more New Year’s activities, including a lion dance, art making, and ice skating.
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*Map of Millennium Park including Lantern Procession meeting location and route:
Meet across the street from the Art Institute’s Modern Wing next to the west entrance to The Lurie Garden.
City-Wide Chinese New Year Kick-off
Tuesday February 5, 12:00 pm
Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center
Celebrate the first day of the Year of the Pig with the Chinese Fine Arts Society at the Citywide Chinese New Year Kickoff! Enjoy a multi-arts performance featuring Lion dancers, Silk Road pipa master Yang Wei, martial arts, the award-winning Flying Fairies dance troupe, and direct from Beijing, special guest artists the China National Peking Opera Company with a sneak peak of the comedic and acrobatic “At the Crossroads,” a famous opera based on a story from Water Margin, one of the great novels of Chinese literature. Presented in partnership with Choose Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
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Matinee Performance
China National Peking Opera Company
Thursday, February 7, 1:00pm
Benito Juarez Community Academy
Students can also enjoy a presentation of the China National Peking Opera Company at a school matinee event at Benito Juarez Community Academy (1450-1510 W. Cermak Rd.). This performance includes the comedic and acrobatic “At the Crossroads,” a famous opera based on a story from Water Margin, one of the great novels of Chinese literature and other opera excerpts. Presented in partnership with Choose Chicago.
Admission: $8 with student ID. School field trips encouraged and attractive group pricing is available. Contact the Chinese Fine Arts Society at [email protected] for more information.
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Today at Apple
Music Lab: Playing Chinese Instruments With Yang Wei
Saturday, February 9, 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Apple Michigan Avenue
Join Silk Road pipa sensation Yang Wei at a special “Today at Apple” performance at Apple Michigan Avenue (401 N Michigan Ave). Yang Wei will perform on the pipa, a Chinese lute, and then audience members will get hands-on learning to play the instrument in GarageBand using iPads. He will then integrate music created by the audience into an improvisational work. During the program, calligrapher Yijun Hu will write Chinese characters in response to the music performed. Opening the music lab, the Sound of Wishes ensemble will perform Chinese music on a trio of guzheng, a 21 stringed Chinese zither.
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The Pig Freeze: Lunar New Year Celebration 2019
Friday, February 15, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Roosevelt Collection Shops
On February 15, Roosevelt Collection Shops (150 Roosevelt Road) will host “The Pig Freeze: Lunar New Year Celebration 2019” where they will unveil a larger-than-life, celebratory ice sculpture, which will include a “piggy bank” where guests can donate to support Chinatown’s Project:VISION. The event will feature a live performance from the Chinese Fine Arts Society Lion Dancers at 7:00 pm, and lucky red envelopes with prizes inside for shoppers who spend $100 at RC retailers. The first 200 guests will also receive a complimentary bao from Piko Street Kitchen food truck; other food will also be available for purchase.
Navy Pier Global Connections: Chinese New Year
Saturday, February 16, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
AON Grand Ballroom, Navy Pier
Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom will be transformed into a festive Chinese marketplace with food, crafts, and performances for the whole family. Two stages will feature performances by the Chicago Chinese Cultural Center Lion Dancers, pipa master Yang Wei, Mongolian throat singer Tamir Hargana, the award-winning Flying Fairies dance troupe, Beidou Kung Fu, Zhong Hua Kung Fu, traditional Chinese music by the Eight Tones Chinese Instrument Ensemble, Cheng Da Drum Team, and many other luminaries from the Chicago Chinese community.
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Sunday, November 24th 
