Special occasions call for special celebrations!
Spring Festival, also known as Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year, is the main festival in the Chinese calendar. It is traditionally 15 days long with celebrations starting on the last day of the lunar calendar (Spring Festival Eve, January 21st 2023) and ending with the Lantern Festival (February 5th 2023). It’s the perfect opportunity for themed events, so if you’d like to plan a celebration but don’t know where to begin, Cultural Keys can help!
We offer both scheduled events that can be booked by anyone and customized events for groups of all sizes! Small groups (4-10 people) can be hosted at the CK Culture Centre, while larger events can be held at a location convenient for you and your participants.
Who are our Spring Festival products for?
Private Groups: small events just for your friends and family
Companies: tailored events for a VIP visit or an exciting team building activity
Schools: safe, fun and exciting programs for students, staff and families
Embassies: encourage an interest in Spring Festival among staff and citizens
Hotels: give guests unforgettable memories of their New Year trip to Beijing!
Scheduled Events with Cultural Keys
January 5th – 26th: Spring Festival Presentation Series
What is the lunar new year? How do Chinese people celebrate it? And what is the significance of the Year of the Rabbit? Join Cultural Keys every Thursday evening in January for a fascinating presentation series answering all these questions and more! We cover everything you need to know about the Spring Festival, how you can join in the celebrations, and what to look forward to in the Year of the Rabbit!
January 8th: Spring Festival Calligraphy Workshop
Join Cultural Keys on January 8th to write your own Spring Festival decorations! In this workshop, you’ll learn the essential things to know about both Spring Festival and calligraphy. Then with the guidance of an expert calligrapher, you’ll learn to write the character 福 Fú on red paper squares and auspicious phrases on a set of three strips of red paper, called 春联 Chūnlián in Chinese, or couplets (even though there are three!) in English. We’ll finish up with a meal of delicious dumplings at a local restaurant!
Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control we are now unable to offer this event at the CK Culture Centre. If you would like to arrange a private group event at a location of your choice, please contact us for more information!
February 4th: Lantern Festival Celebration
You might know how the Chinese New Year begins. But what do you know about how it ends? Celebrate the final day of Spring Festival the traditional way, with sweet dumplings (tangyuan), lanterns and riddles! At this workshop, you’ll learn about the festival, then assemble and paint your own palace lantern before enjoying tangyuan while solving riddles, a traditional activity at the lantern festival!
Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control we are now unable to offer this event at the CK Culture Centre. If you would like to arrange a private group event at a location of your choice, please contact us for more information!
Private Events with Cultural Keys
Our events are fully customizable to fit your specific requirements. Please contact us to request our brochure or discuss your event!
Spring Festival ‘Temple Fair’
Temple Fairs, which started as gatherings of vendors outside temples on religious festivals, are still hugely popular events at Chinese New Year. Create your own by choosing from our range of craftspeople and performers to allow a range of fun experiences within a short time! Options available include dragon and lion dancers, calligraphers, artists and craftspeople.
Spring Festival Themed Workshops
While all our Chinese culture workshops can be enjoyed at any time of year, some are especially suited to Spring Festival, whether that activity traditionally takes place at home with family and friends, or at the temple fairs held in the first few days of the lunar new year. Book a single workshop or a ‘round robin’ event where groups rotate between several workshops, allowing for a variety of fun experiences! Workshops available include painting activities, lion dancing, calligraphy and more!
Lantern Festival Celebration
The Lantern Festival marks the end of the fifteen-day Spring Festival celebrations. People celebrate by viewing lanterns, eating tangyuan (glutinous rice balls with sweet fillings), guessing lantern riddles and setting off fireworks, and apart from the fireworks everyone can enjoy all of those activities and more during this event!
Spring Festival Presentations
Looking for a way to teach and engage your group on subjects related to Chinese life and culture, but don’t have the time or space for a hands-on experience? Our presentations are for you! We have two presentations for Spring Festival: our main presentation covering every aspect of the holiday in detail, and our Chinese Zodiac Presentation which covers the symbolism and characteristics of all the animals with a special focus on the Rabbit, the animal for the lunar year 2023-4. All our presentations can be either in-person or online events and all are given by native English speakers.
Hire a Folk Artist
If you’re planning a large event, party or Chinese New Year activity, why not invite a local expert in Chinese folk arts, crafts and cultural activities to entertain your guests? Cultural Keys works with local artists, performers and craftspeople who you can hire to be part of your event: to be a vendor, give a performance, create their art as gifts for your attendees, or help your attendees make their own! All of these artists are commonly found at New Year’s fairs, known as Temple Fairs, a tradition stretching back several hundred years!
How are you planning to celebrate Spring Festival?
Let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear your thoughts and insights on traditional Chinese culture!
Photo Credits
– Cultural Keys
Contact Us
Stay up-to-date with the latest offers, information and events from Cultural Keys. Follow our Official WeChat Account by scanning the QR code (click for larger image), or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to be the first to know!
For more information about anything on this page, or for more information about Cultural Keys, please contact us or use the form below to let us know your specific requirements.
Recent Posts
Mouseover to see left and right arrows
Upcoming Events
Mouseover to see left and right arrows
About Cultural Keys Chinese Culture Company
Cultural Keys helps you access, understand and enjoy life in China through traditional Chinese culture. Click here to read more about Cultural Keys and what we can do for you, your school, company or group to help you get more out of your time in China!