Lunar New Year Celebration: The Year of the Fire Horse

Lunar New Year Celebration: The Year of the Fire Horse

Saturday, March 7

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

On June 2, 2023, Lunar New Year Day was established as an official observed state holiday in Colorado on the first Friday of every February.

Refugees + Immigrants United, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, and Filipino American Community of Southern Colorado are thrilled to host the 2026 Pikes Peak regional celebration of the Lunar New Year! Guests are invited to celebrate at this family-friendly event with performances, crafts, and information and activity booths presented by local organizations.

To uplift the cultural richness of this event and our community, attendees are warmly encouraged to wear traditional attire from their own country of origin.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

MUSEUM GROUNDS
From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. choose from a selection of local food trucks, including Bowl in the City. Please note that the museum does not allow any food or drink inside of the building. We kindly ask that guests enjoy their food in our surrounding park.

DIVISION I COURTROOM

• 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. – Learn about the history and significance of Lunar New Year and how she led the effort to make it an observed Colorado state holiday
  • Presented by Nga Vương-Sandoval, Founding Executive Director of Refugees + Immigrants United
• 11:15 – 11:30 a.m. – Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony
  • Presented by Magdalene Mok-White, Advisor and Board Chair of Refugees + Immigrants United

MAIN LOBBY

• 12:30 – 12:45 p.m. – Lion Dance
  • An exciting tradition symbolizing good luck, prosperity, and joy – Performed by Gia Đình Phật Tử Nguyen Thieu
• 12:45 – 1:00 p.m. – Vietnamese Cultural Dances
  • Performed by the Thiếu Nữ group from Gia Đình Phật Tử Nguyen Thieu. This group represents the young women of the Buddhist Youth Association, who not only learn Buddhist ethics but also embrace Vietnamese language, culture, and traditions. Through their graceful movements, they express the beauty, elegance, and cultural pride that our organization strives to preserve and share.

DIVISION I COURTROOM

• 1:10 – 1:25 p.m. – Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony
  • Presented by Magdalene Mok-White, Advisor and Board Chair of Refugees + Immigrants United
• 1:35 – 2:00 p.m. – Performances by the Filipino American Community of Southern Colorado (FACSC)
  •  An exciting cultural showcase featuring traditional Filipino dances that celebrate heritage and community:
    • The performance includes Polka sa Nayon, which translates to “Polka in the Village”—a lively folk-dance symbolizing joy and togetherness in rural life;
    • Idaw, a traditional war dance from the Bondoc and Kalinga tribes in the Mountain Providence of Northern Luzon Philippines performed by Pedro Celestino;
    • and a group of talented young adults will perform Tinikling, the iconic bamboo pole dance that reflects agility, rhythm, and the spirit of cooperation.