Brooklyn Botanic Garden Counts
Down To Third Annual Lunar New Year
Celebration and Flower Market

All-New Entertainment, Family Programs, a Flower Market,
and More New Year Fun for the Whole Family!

LEFT: Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera's breathtaking performance is part of BBG's Lunar New Year all-star entertainment lineup (photo by Zack Smith, courtesy BBG); RIGHT: The calamondin (x Citrofortunella microcarpa) is one of many citrus plants thought to bring good fortune in the Lunar New Year.

Brooklyn, New York—January 13, 2009—Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is counting down to its third annual Lunar New Year Celebration and Flower Market on Sunday, January 25, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. With plants such an essential element of the vibrant traditional Lunar New Year celebration, there is no better setting than the Garden to herald the year 4706 of the lunar calendar! This year's exciting family-fun Lunar New Year Celebration marks the first time Vietnamese cultural entertainment will be featured, alongside returning favorite showstoppers from China. It is also the first year BBG will offer visitors to the Lunar New Year Celebration a chance to learn through stories–both written and spoken–featuring engaging readings and signings by an author-illustrator whose stunning picture books help teach children the art of Chinese character writing, as well as a separate live storytelling program.

Plants native to China, Korea, and Vietnam in Brooklyn Botanic Garden's extraordinary collections will be featured on Chinese- and English-language guided tours for adults and children throughout the Steinhardt Conservatory. Many of these plants–including blossoming peaches, citrus trees, flowering quince, and other seasonal bloomers–will be available for purchase at a traditional flower market, allowing visitors to bring some of the luck and good fortune associated with the Lunar New Year Celebration into their own home!

At BBG's Lunar New Year Celebration and Flower Market, visitors will experience the sensory delights of Asian cultures through music, dance, storytelling, costumes, and food. BBG will welcome the Year of the Ox–which signifies prosperity through fortitude and hard work–with spectacular performances for the whole family: DVL Dance Vietnam, appearing at the Lunar New Year Celebration for the first time, will present a dazzling show incorporating music, dance, and fashion from each of Vietnam's four regions. Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera will triumphantly return to BBG to present its internationally renowned blend of martial arts, acrobatics, and dance to thrill audiences of all ages. Plus, for the first time, acclaimed storyteller Robin Bady will delight audiences with an interactive retelling of traditional folktales from Korea and Vietnam.

This year, children's book writer and illustrator Huy Voun Lee will read and sign her beautiful works In the Leaves; 1, 2, 3, Go!; and At the Beach, all of which are designed to creatively introduce young children to simple Chinese character writing. And to further engage young visitors in Lunar New Year cultures, Lee will guide children through the creation of their own paper ox to take home–in celebration of 4706, the Year of the Ox–using only scissors, a Chinese lucky money envelope, and imagination!

The dazzling plants in BBG's collections are the inspiration for additional kids' and adults' hands-on workshops. Kids explore plants of the Lunar New Year from root to tip, create colorful Chinese paper lanterns, and pot up a lucky paperwhite narcissus while learning about its historical meaning in parts of Asia. Adults can discover the ancient Chinese art of brush painting with a master of the craft. All visitors will be thrilled by the opportunity to exchange Lunar New Year greetings with children in China via the internet!

Together, families can participate in a relaxing qigong workshop that incorporates breathing and movement exercises to promote health and longevity.

BBG's splendid cut flower market will feature exquisite seasonal flowers–fragrant peach blossoms, flowering quince, and more–traditionally associated with the Lunar New Year. And in honor of the holiday, the Gift Shop will offer a selection of Asian-inspired gifts for purchase, including bright silk brocade purses and pouches inspired by Chinese textiles and petite ceramic garden stools crafted using traditional techniques from the 18th century.

Plus, the Zagat-rated Terrace CafÈ will feature a special menu of culinary delights from China, Korea, and Vietnam, including Korean kimchi, a special soup, and celebratory sweets!

The Lunar New Year Celebration and Flower Market will feature the following performances, workshops, and events:

Performances

Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera: Unparalleled martial arts, acrobatics, and exquisitely crafted costumes. The company's founder, Qi Shu Fang, a household name in China and winner of the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship, "fills the stage with magic that is inexpressibly enchanting," says the New York Times;
DVL Dance Vietnam: A joyful and colorful celebration of Vietnamese culture featuring dance, music, and costumes from the country's four regions. Delight in the traditional rice hat dance, zither music, and costumes ranging from modern ao dai (tunics) to traditional wedding gowns;
Folktales Celebrating the Lunar New Year: Renowned storyteller Robin Bady and an accompanying musician weave together a program of interactive folklore and traditional fairy tales from Korea and Vietnam.

Readings and Hands-on Workshops

Book Signing with Huy Voun Lee: Huy Voun Lee's wonderful books introduce young children to simple Chinese character writing. Pick up a signed copy of her creations In the Leaves; 1, 2, 3, Go!; and At the Beach;
Papercraft Workshop: Lucky Money Ox: Using scissors, lucky money envelopes, and her unbridled imagination, artist Huy Voun Lee guides children in this workshop celebrating the Year of the Ox.
Qigong Workshop: Visitors of all ages will relax and refresh while experiencing gentle Chinese qigong breathing exercises that promote health and longevity, guided by 30-year practitioner Carolyn Lin.;
Send Greeting to South China Botanic Garden: Exchange Lunar New Year greetings with children in China via the internet, led by the staff of Others Are Us;
Hands-on Workshops: Kids can learn about plants symbolic of Lunar New Year from root to tip, pot up a narcissus bulb and make a Chinese paper lantern and other crafts; adults can learn Chinese brush painting;

All About Lunar New Year Plants

Special Lunar New Year Tours: Led in Mandarin (2 p.m.) or English (11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.), and one in English especially for kids (3 p.m.), these special guided tours will highlight BBG's impressive collection of plants native to China, Korea, and Vietnam;
Plants: Culturally significant plants will be spotlighted throughout the Steinhardt Conservatory so visitors can take their own, self-guided tours;
Traditional Asian Flower Market: The cut flower market will feature exquisite seasonal flowers–fragrant peach blossoms, flowering quince, and more–in celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year.

All Lunar New Year Celebration and Flower Market events are free with Garden admission.