The 2019 Lunar New Year Celebration: February 2-17

IN OUR 4th year of festivities, SHUC with our partners Uncover Squirrel Hill, Jewish Family and Community Services, and the Organization of Chinese Americans in Pittsburgh, will be heading to Heinz History Center this Saturday February 2nd as we welcome in the Year of the Golden Earth Pig! From 2:30pm to 4:30pm on the ground floor of the museum, we will kick-off the 2 weeks with some family friendly, live cultural and musical performances of pan-Asian dance and pipa instruments, martial arts demonstrations, and the crowd favorite–Chinese lion dance teams. And while you’re there, check out the epic Smithsonian exhibit “Destination Moon,” the historic Apollo lunar landing here just until February 18th. All performances are included with a regular museum admission ticket.

On Sunday February 17th, the Lunar New Year Parade returns to the heart of Squirrel Hill! Starting at 11am at Philipps and Murray Avenue, Steel Dragon Kung Fu & Lion Dance will begin the festivities and the new year with a traditional Chinese blessing ritual. Pan-Asian cultural organizations in resplendent costumes and uniforms will showcase their craft as we march up Murray toward Darlington Street. Weaving in and out will be Chinese dragon lines, lion dance teams and Thai Fire-eaters! The award winning Allderdice Marching Band will be keeping us in rhythm. Minadeo K-5 will show us how a young dragon team can rock the line! And Dragonboat teams Pittsburgh Paddlefish and Hearts of Steel share what makes them strong and resilient in our three rivers! This year’s grand marshal is Pier Lee. The Lunar New Year Parade is free and open to the public!

Here’s the 2019 Parade Lineup (not in this particular order):
Steel Dragons Kung Fu

OCA Advocates for Asian Pacific Americans–Pittsburgh

Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Chinese School

Allderdice High School Marching Band

Pittsburgh Chinese Academy

Minadeo K-5

Pittsburgh Chinese Association

Win-Win Kung Fu

Pittsburgh Paddlefish Dragonboat Team

Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Ctr

Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh East Chinese Dancing Fellowship

Chinese Professor Association at University of Pittsburgh

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania

Chinese Association of Science and Technology in Pittsburgh

Yan Lai Dance Academy

City’s Welcoming Pittsburgh Committee

Silk Elephant Thai Dancers and Fire Eaters

Here’s a closer look at the February 2nd performance schedule at Heinz History Center:

Time:               Group and Name of Performance:

2:30 PM          Opening remarks and Steel Dragons/ “Lion Dance”      

3:00 PM           Xiaobo’s Waist Drum Dance Group / “Waist Drum Dance”   Taichi/Dance

3:07 PM           Yanlai Dance Academy / “Flower Season”     Dance  

3:14 PM           Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) Adult Class / “Blue Elegance”     Fan Dance       

3:21 PM           OCA Advanced / “Breeze”                  Long scarf fan dance   

3:28 PM           OCA Beginners / “Festival Dance”      ringing batons and scarves     

3:35 PM           Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh / Nepali Dance  

3:42 PM           Yang Jin Pipa / Rejoice Ensemble       musical instrument     

3:49 PM           Yang Jin Pipa / Pipa Solo         

3:56 PM           Win-Win / Youth Wushu Demo          Martial Arts     

4:03 PM           Win-Win Kung Fu / Traditional Kung Fu/Tai Chi          

4:10 PM           UPitt FRESA / Shine by Pentagon       K-pop inspired dance

4:17 PM           Pittsburgh Chinese School / Mighty Iron FanGongfu Fan    folk dance

4:30 PM          Concluding remarks