What to do, see and eat for Chinese New Year

The annual turning of the Chinese calendar, giving birth to a new lunar year, brings out some of the most festive celebrations. Ring in the Year of the Sheep/Goat in true tradition!

By the time the clock strikes midnight on Thursday, Feb. 19, the party will already be in full swing. The Philadelphia Suns Lion Dancers will take to the streets starting at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18 for a midnight parade, complete with ornate costumes and firecrackers, through Chinatown, starting at 10th and Race Streets.

For three days, the Please Touch Museum (4231 Avenue of the Republic) will educate kids on the history and traditions of Chinese New Year. From musical performances from Melanie Hsu and the Philly Superhero Collective Band (noon and 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb. 20 and 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21) to Chinese calligraphy lessons (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 through Saturday, Feb. 21), the museum runs the full gamut of interactive activities. And what would the Year of the Goat be without an appearance from resident puppet Billy the Goat? See him at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily from Thursday, Feb. 19 through Saturday, Feb. 21.

In addition to daily holiday specials at Buddakan (325 Chestnut St.) from Thursday, Feb. 19 through Friday, Feb. 27, they'll be celebrating Chinese New Year with a one-time-only dim sum brunch on Sunday, Feb. 22. From noon to 3 p.m., fill up on edamame dumplings and more while Lion Dancers perform. You'll want to make sure you have reservations for this one: 215-574-9440.

Besides the traditional fare, musical and dance performances will fill the room at International House Philadelphia (3701 Chestnut St.), when starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, they'll host a variety of customarily costumed performers who'll transport audiences into a world of artistic culture.

Kids can craft a Chinese lantern or try their hand at martial arts at the Independence Seaport Museum's (211 S. Columbus Blvd.) Lunar New Year celebration in which not only Chinese culture is honored, but Korean and Japanese activities are spotlighted, too. Everything — from Japanese crafts to Chinese storytelling — goes down from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Over at the Garden State Discovery Museum (2040 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill) kids can get in tune with Chinese New Year through performances and crafts taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22.

A fun twist on a traditional event, Bally's (Park Place and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City) hosts Lunar New Year karaoke in their ballroom from 4 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Feb. 21. Before that, a Lion Dance parade will travel down the boardwalk from Bally's to Caesars starting at 2 p.m.

Japanese culture is explored once more at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) on Sunday, Feb. 22 when tours of the museum's newest exhibit, "Ink and Gold: Art of the Kano" will be given at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. In addition, families can take part in Japanese art activities and see a dance performance.

The Philadelphia Suns come out during daylight hours for another parade from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22 with even more merrymaking with dancers, martial artists and other performances. Weaving through Chinatown, the parade begins at 10th and Spring Street.

A day full of culture and tradition awaits on Sunday, Feb. 22 at Malvern's Great Valley High School (225 Phoenixville Pike, Malvern). Sit back and revel in dance, music, martial arts and poem displays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and then get your hands dirty with games, calligraphy, chopsticks contest and paper cutting from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Save room — you'll have ten courses of traditional New Year cuisine on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Helping bring positive vibes to your New Year, each course aims to amplify the awesome in areas of your life like your personal wealth and power. Menu items include a dim sum platter, Peking duck, fried rice and more. While you feast at the Sang Kee Peking Duck House (238 N. 9th St.), performers will put on a show of customary Chinese routines. Dinner is served from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Independence Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia (18 S. 7th St.) welcomes students from Holy Redeemer Elementary School for a display of Chinese folk dances, including the drum-soundtracked lion dance starting at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25. After the show, stay for Chinese folk tales.

For more Things to Do, check out our calendar for the most up-to-date happenings.