Lineup of events in US cities for Spring Festival

NEW YORK－A number of cultural and entertainment activities will be held in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in February as part of Chinese New Year celebrations, according to the Chinese consulate general in New York.

Highlights include multiple online concerts, theatrical performances, exhibitions, a photo contest, lighting ceremonies at landmark buildings as well as celebrations by several sports teams.

Young artists from Chinese conservatories of music and US partners will jointly present a virtual concert with the theme "sounds of spring "on Saturday, said Qian Jin, deputy consul general in New York, on Friday.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will stage a virtual concert on Saturday and a weeklong festival prior to the concert to celebrate the Year of the Ox, according to the website of NJSO.

The virtual festival will highlight community performers and cultural groups, traditional performances, cooking demonstrations and others.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is set to present the Lunar New Year Celebration Concert starting from Thursday, according to its website.

Fort Lee Public Library will have several events to celebrate Chinese New Year, featuring family performance, cooking and storytelling, according to the schedule of events with the library.

The Empire State Building will have a window exhibition on the Chinese zodiac starting from Monday and hold a lighting ceremony on Feb 10, according to Qian.

Lighting ceremonies will also be held at other landmarks like One World Trade Center, The Oculus, John F. Kennedy International Airport and the Bayonne Bridge.

The Center for Chinese Art with William Paterson University of New Jersey will hold an exhibition on Chinese woodblock prints from Feb 10-28, with a virtual lecture and presentation to be held on Feb 17.

Sport teams like the Brooklyn Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils are also expected to celebrate the holiday.

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for Chinese people around the world.

The festival falls on Feb 12 this year.