For the first time, Central Wisconsin residents will have the opportunity to celebrate the Lunar New Year close to home. The Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is widely celebrated across the world, though, events in Wisconsin are limited. With community support, a group of residents are looking to change this. “The Central Wisconsin Chinese New Year Festival is an opportunity for area residents to learn about and enjoy Chinese culture, while recognizing Wisconsin’s connections to China,” stated event organizer Joy Clendenning.
The two-day event begins at 4 p.m. on January 24, with a panel discussion on U.S. – China trade tensions at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point – Wausau campus. The presentation is a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for East Asian Studies and UW-Madison Division of Extension Marathon County. Panelists include WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Interim Secretary Randy Romanski, University of Wisconsin-Madison Economist Guanming Shi, and Chippewa Valley Bean Vice President Charles Wachsmuth.
On Saturday, January 25, Central Wisconsin will celebrate the Year of the Rat with a cultural festival at East Gate Hall in Marathon Park. Events highlighting Chinese culture are scheduled throughout the day, including a Lion Dance by the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association, one of the few U.S. based internationally recognized Lion Dance troops. The Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature live entertainment, food vendors, cooking demonstrations, traditional Chinese food samples, Mandarin language lessons, and crafts celebrating the new year. The two events are unique opportunities for the community to learn about the China business environment and Chinese culture. Thanks to the generosity of Heil Ginseng, CoVantage Credit Union, Hsu’s Ginseng, and the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin, the Festival is free and open to the public.
For additional information please follow the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/483772652489937/ or contact Melinda Osterberg, UW- Extension Marathon County Community Development Educator at [email protected] or 715-261-1240.