Hold Your Horses

Celebrate the Year of the Horse for two hours today, at the 2014 Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration, which has had “hundreds of volunteers working year-round,” according to Huiliang Liu, president of the Chinese American Foundation of Colorado and the Denver Chinese School. But they had a lot to accomplish:...

By Susanna Speier

January 30, 2014

Audio By Carbonatix

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Celebrate the Year of the Horse for two hours today, at the 2014 Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration, which has had “hundreds of volunteers working year-round,” according to Huiliang Liu, president of the Chinese American Foundation of Colorado and the Denver Chinese School. But they had a lot to accomplish: “At least half or two-thirds of the audience is not of Chinese heritage,” Liu explains. “We like to encourage the non-Chinese-heritage people to come share our culture with our bigger community.”

And when he says culture, he means it. “This year, the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Chinese Consulate in Chicago arranged a team of eighteen professional performers,” Liu says. “They're being flown in from China to put on shows in four or five cities. Denver is one of them.” As a result, he says, you can expect to see dancers, acrobats, magicians and singers. “We have a local group for the lion dance,” he adds. “The lion dance is a New Year's tradition.” The event also includes food (with a host of vegetarian options), custom Chinese calligraphy for $3, and celebratory door banners that welcome spring into your home.

The Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration runs from 2 to 4 p.m. today at the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place; doors open at 1:30 p.m. Tickets (which include free parking) are $28 for general admission, and $48 to $80 for special seating. For information, go to denverchineseschool.org or call 720-270-7032.
Sat., Feb. 1, 1:30-4 p.m., 2014

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