Newton has been abuzz with Lunar New Year celebrations as the Chinese community held several events throughout the city to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse. The years in the Chinese calendar cycle through 12 animals and five elements, so the Fire Horse occurs once every 60 years.
According to Chinese astrology, the Fire Horse represents power, prosperity, and transformation. The last occurrence of the Fire Horse was in 1966, which marked the start of the Cultural Revolution, escalation of the Vietnam War, and achievements in space and technology.
The first Lunar New Year event in Newton this year was held on January 31 at Zervas Elementary School, sponsored by the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association (GBCCA), a non-profit educational organization located in West Newton. The GBCCA founded the first Chinese language school in Newton, in the late 1950s. The Zervas cafeteria was packed with attendees who were treated to delicious Chinese cuisine and traditional music and dance performed by the GBCCA’s members and students.
The second event was held at Regis College’s Fine Arts Center in Weston, sponsored by the Newton Chinese Language School (NCLS), This “Spring Festival Gala” filled the venue with an afternoon packed with kid friendly games, a hit photo booth, and over 300 dance and music performers, Award-winning, Newton-based, 11-year-old vocalist James Yeh joined 14-year-old Chloe Perlov to sing a beautiful duet of “The Prayer.” The event also included a performance by the Newton North High School Chinese Language students and teacher. Superintendent Anna Nolin, School Committee member Victor Lee and State Representatives Amy Mah Sangiolo and Greg Schwartz were joined by Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn and the Massachusetts Asian American Pacific Islander Commission Vice Chair, Gary Yu, to offer greetings and congratulations.
The third event, hosted by the Chinese American Association of Newton (CAAN), was held at Angier Elementary School. In addition to serving traditional cultural food, this celebration included traditional music and dance performances and family friendly activities. President Michelle Luo said in her invitation, “it is an opportunity to bring together Newton residents across cultures to celebrate the Lunar New Year,” and noted that she is “grateful for the continued support of community engagement and cultural inclusion in Newton.”
For the fourth event, the Newton Free Library held its celebratory event on February 11 with the assistance and support of the Newton Chinese Language School and the Newton Education Support Network. It featured a dance and singing performance as well as hands-on activities such as Mahjong and Chinese calligraphy.
Mayor Marc Laredo, who attended the February 11 event, said it is important for the Newton community to come together for events like this with “joy and happiness.”
“This is exactly the type of celebration we need to be having at a very difficult time in our world,” Laredo told the crowd.
In an interview, Laredo said he intends to collaborate “with every single nonprofit in the city.”
“The City can and should be a partner, and we are here to help,” Laredo said. “We’re here to make sure that all of our nonprofits, including the Chinese New Chinese language school, thrive.”
At the February 11 event, Sangiolo said the Lunar New Year celebration was “a wonderful community event” and that “now, more than ever, it’s more important for all of us to embrace all the different cultural groups that are represented here in Newton right now.”
Sherry Zhao, a teacher at the Chinese Language School and one of the organizers of the February 11 event, said she does not want to “celebrate within a small bubble” and hopes to share and promote her culture with other Newton residents.
“We all live in the same community,” Zhao said. “It doesn’t matter which cultural background you’re from. Human beings should celebrate to appreciate each other’s culture with respect, with appreciation.”
Zhao said this celebration was especially significant for her because it gives her children an opportunity to “get a little sense of their culture,” as they have not experienced a Lunar New Year in China.
“For a lot of teachers and parents, like myself, the Chinese culture is already in our blood,” Zhao said. “We do this because we really hope that the next generation … can appreciate their cultural heritage.”
According to Zhao, Newton has made “breakthroughs” in celebrating and appreciating Chinese culture in recent years, especially with Newton Public Schools recognizing in May 2024 the Lunar New Year as an official holiday.
Lunar New Year Celebration at Newton Free Library (photo: Dongxu Shan) 
Lunar New Year Celebration at Newton Free Library (photo: Dongxu Shan) 
Lunar New Year Celebration at Newton Free Library (photo: Dongxu Shan) Lunar New Year Celebration at Newton Free Library (photo: Dongxu Shan) 
Lunar New Year Celebration at Newton Free Library (photo: Dongxu Shan)
Virginia Conway, a tutor for the English Language Learner Program at Newton Free Library, attended the event with her student, Yeyin Gao. Conway said she was excited about the event, as she had never attended a Lunar New Year celebration before.
“I think I learn as much as Yeyin learns,” Conway said. “I am learning about the Chinese culture, and that is very wonderful for me, because I didn’t know very much.”
Gao, who is Conway’s student and moved to Newton five years ago from China, said the lanterns, paintings, and traditional clothes of the event were a comforting reminder of home.
“I’m so excited,” Gao said. “I [can] stay here, but I still can celebrate the Lunar New Year.”
Isabelle Zhang, a sophomore at Boston University majoring in Journalism and Political Science, is writing for Fig City News as part of her studies.
