WESTFORD — Westford Academy will hold its fourth annual Lunar New Year celebration next Saturday, an event run entirely by students.
The celebration, which will be held Feb. 28, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., is hosted by the Westford Academy Asian Culture Club in partnership with the Chelmsford Chinese Language School. Organizers say the event has grown steadily each year, drawing large crowds from the school and broader community.
The evening will feature authentic cuisine, a cultural performance and a variety of games and activities representing traditions from across Asia.
Treasurer of the Asian Culture Club, Arleyya Mohd, said the group was formed to embrace and share cultures across Asia.
“Asian Culture Club is where we embrace our ethnic cultures from all over Asia,” Mohd said, “We try to bring all these cultures together to make a community with each other.”
She said the club partners with local restaurants to provide a buffet-style dinner featuring Asian cuisines. In the gymnasium, attendees can participate in cultural activities, try on traditional clothing and enjoy henna and face painting.
Club member Olivia Bao said the annual performance will include traditional dances. One recurring highlight is a dance rooted in Chinese history, traditionally performed during Lunar New Year celebrations, to ward off monsters.
Mohd, who is Malaysian, said the club makes an effort to incorporate traditions from multiple cultures each year.
“I think celebrating Lunar New Year at school brings us, as an Asian community, together and also brings everyone else inside the town to experience different cultures,” she said, “Some people might not be accustomed to these cultures. Having Lunar New Year is a great opportunity for everyone to experience the loud drums, the food, the performances, all these beautiful, bright lights and activities.”
She added that Westford Academy is among the few schools where students organize and run a Lunar New Year celebration themselves, an effort she said helps build leadership and event-planning skills while promoting cultural awareness.
“I hope people learn that Lunar New Year is one of the best celebrations out there. Personally, I love Lunar New Year. It’s so bright, so colorful,” Mohd said, “I think coming out to Lunar New Year is just a good way for people to experience all these different cultures.”
Tickets for the dinner and show are $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and students. Children under five are admitted free. Show-only tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and students, with free admission for children under five. Games and activities in the gym are free and open to all.
