THIS year’s Chinese New Year celebration courtesy of the Tanjong parliamentary constituency is set to take a leap forward by going to the streets, connecting and celebrating with the people in a wider scale, come Feb 28 at King Street in George Town.
According to Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying, this year’s event, called ‘YeeHaa!’, which will start at 6pm and end at 11pm, will feature a line-up of exciting and energetic performances by various dance groups, as well as individual acts.
The celebration is open to all for free.
“Through this event, we hope to bring the festive atmosphere back to the streets, draw crowds into the Unesco World Heritage zone, and inject renewed energy into the local business community.
“The programme will feature lion dance on stilts by Penang Hong Guan Culture Association Penang, a traditional Chinese orchestra performance by Chung Ling Private High School, a traditional Teochew opera by Chao Yi Guan, dynamic dance performances by ODDZ Dance Crew, and many others.
“Beyond the stage performances, we will also feature a Traditional Cultural Interactive Zone, where visitors can do more than just watch, they can participate, such as calligraphy, paper cutting, traditional dough figurine making, Hanfu costume try-ons, and Chinese chess sessions,” Lim said in a press conference at Kota Dine & Coffee in George Town earlier today.
She also added that the event will feature 20 food stalls, offering traditional festive delicacies to modern creative cuisine.
The night is expected to be capped with a grand fireworks display, lighting up the streets of Tanjong in the spirits of Chinese New Year!
Lim also shared that last year’s programme attracted some 5,000 visitors at Fort Cornwallis, and is hoping to see an increase in the number of this year, with a target of 6,000 – 8,000 people.
Also present during the press conference earlier were Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, and Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Siew Chia En