Returning to Harbourfront Centre to celebrate the coming of another year, LunarFest will ring in the Lunar New Year with an exciting and diverse weekend of events. From February 20–21, this family-friendly festival will feature a wide range of activities, including musical performances, craft activities and delectable Asian cuisine. Two major interactive installations will feature hundreds of life-sized monkey figurines on site to greet visitors. The entire festival will be free to attend, and food and souvenirs (including monkey figurines) will be available for purchase.
A time of celebration, the Lunar New Year also offers the chance for reflection, particularly with this year’s representative animal. “2016 is the Year of the Monkey – the species closest to the human being,” says Charlie Wu, Managing Director of the Asian Canadian Special Events Association, which is partnering with Harbourfront Centre to co-produce LunarFest. “Monkeys, too, are emotional creatures who are intelligent, crafty, curious and naughty at times. Are there lessons humans can learn from monkeys?”
LunarFest – Highlights at a Glance:
- Theatre: A staple at Lunar New Year celebrations, the traditional lion dance will be performed by Taiwan's Jin Fei Feng Marionette Theatre Troupe at World’s Smallest Lion Dancers. The show offers an unique visual spectacle with both puppeteers and puppets on stage together.
- Music: Enjoy six types of drum dances from various traditions at The Drumming Dance – Heritage Beats.
- Art: With leading artists from Taiwan and Canada, Reflections – "What Do We See in Monkeys?" is a visual arts exhibition that examines the relationship between humans and monkeys.
- Family: Old and young alike can decorate crowns in the style of Monkey King at The Crown of Monkey King.
- Food: In between activities, visit the Lunar Café and try some delicious ginger tea, bibimbap or sushi.
For more information and full event listings, please visit harbourfrontcentre.com/lunarfest/2016 or call Harbourfront Centre at 416-973-4000.
LunarFest 2016 is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan).