Lunar New Year Festival In Millburn Draws More Than 1,000 Attendees

MILLBURN, NJ — An estimated 1,800 people from North Jersey and New York City came to Millburn this past Saturday to celebrate the Lunar New Year Festival, a first-time local event to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, organized by the Millburn Short Hills Chinese Association and Millburn Institute of Talent.

For three hours, crowds on Millburn Avenue enjoyed traditional performances, sampled the cuisine, observed a calligraphy demonstration, and participated in game and crafts.

The organizers explained, "The year of the Tiger represents courage and bravery and is the zodiac sign of people born in the Lunar calendar of 2022 and every 12th year in the future. Lunar New Year is typically celebrated by countries within East and Southeast Asia. However, the celebration in Millburn was widely attended by people of all ethnicities and races."

They added, "It was great to see so many different cultures embracing the Lunar New Year and showing excitement to learn more about Asian culture."

One of the most anticipated segments of the day was the Dragon dance, traditionally performed to drive away evil spirits and bring good fortune and blessings to the community.

Millburn High School seniors Aaron Chan, Alex Chen, Kevin Liang, and Josh Hemingson performed the Lion dance for a packed crowd and then stayed well after the show to take pictures with eager attendees.

The organizers of the event worked since December to set up the first-time event. It was originally planned for Jan. 30, a day right before the Lunar New Year, and was pushed out to March 5 due to the COVID surge.

The organizers are hoping for an even bigger event next year, they said.

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