2025 Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration
Category: Event Calendar
Date and Time for this Past Event
- Saturday, Feb 15, 2025
Location
Akron Civic Theatre
182 S Main St
Details
Join us & celebrate the Year of the Snake at the 2025 Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration!
Venue doors open at 3:30 pm for the Culture Fair featuring local vendors, information booths, free crafts, festive photo opportunities, and more.
House doors open at 5 pm for attendees to choose seats ahead of the 6 pm program, which will feature a lineup of cultural performances on the Civic's main stage.
Tickets are now available. Click here to reserve your seats.
Performances by
- Kwan Family Lion Dance
- NIHF STEM Middle School Learners Dragon Dance
- Cleveland Glory Waist Drum Team
- Blooming Flower Dance Group
- Ohio Samul Nori
- Emily Su (soloist)
- Master Gao (martial arts)
- Karen Culture Dance Academy
- Akron Chinese School
- LingYun Rising Star Dance School and Stellar Acrobatic Dance Academy
- Myong Feinstein (soloist)
- Cleveland Phoenix Club
Food Vendors:
- Evelyn's Coffee and Banh Mi
- Cilantro Thai and Sushi
- Boiling House Akron
- Red Bean Bakes
- Masa Asian Express Inc.
- Kind Tapas and Creations
- HomeMade Delites
- The Eccentric Panda
- Liquid Lab & Studio
- Akron Civic Theatre Bar
Vendors include:
- Rotten Boi (crochet plushies, hats, bags, beaded jewelry)
- Japanese Calligraphy Arts
- BlackStar (art prints, pins, magnets, greeting cards)
- Julia Belle's Seasonings, Rubs & Mixes (internationally inspired seasonings)
- Wrappin' Osborne (ceramic arts, mugs, planters, luminaria)
- Otaku's Haven (anime and Kawaii figurines & merchandise)
Free activities
- Photo opportunity with Kwan Lion Dancers and Lunar New Year Pandas (Knight Stage)
- Free Photo Booth (presented by Downtown Akron Partnership)
- Coloring contest*
- Year of the Snake craft: create your own snake to take home (presented by the University of Akron Zips Activity Board)
- Snake community craft: add your own link to make a snake with other guests (presented by Akron Children's Museum)
- Lunar New Year Trivia and Money Tree giveaways
- Poster signing with artist Chi-Irena Wong
At approximately 8:15 pm, attendees can enjoy a fireworks display, sponsored by Lock 3. Watch from the newly-renovated Lock 3!
General Admission Tickets must be reserved to enjoy this event. Tickets are $5 each plus fees if purchased online at AkronCivic.com. The Akron Civic Theatre is a no-fee box office, and tickets can be purchased there Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm.
Tickets are now available. Click here to reserve your seats.
*Enter the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Coloring Contest. Click here to download the coloring sheet, illustrated by artist Chi-Irena Wong, or pick up a pre-printed sheet at the Lunar New Year Culture Fair on February 15 and color it before 6 pm. Enter your completed coloring page at the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration by 6 pm in the lobby of the Civic Theatre. We'll be drawing winners before the end of the night!
Interested in sponsoring this or other DAP programs? Learn more here.
Want to volunteer to help out? Volunteers get a free ticket to the event. Find out more & sign up here.
The 2025 Downtown Akron Lunar New Year Celebration is presented by the Downtown Akron Partnership with the generous support of the City of Akron, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, Lock 3, GAR Foundation, Akron Community Foundation, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron Children's Museum, the Akron Civic Theatre, and the Downtown Akron Lunar New Year planning committee. Additional community partners include Akron Public Schools, NIHF STEM Middle School, Asian Services in Action, Akron METRO RTA, and the University of Akron Zips Activity Board.
Lunar New Year fireworks presented by Lock 3.
