Chinese New Year celebration to feature activities, food, fun at Penn State York

Chinese New Year York

Paper cutting will once again be part of the activities at Penn State York's Chinese New Year celebration, set for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the Conference Center.

Credit: Barbara Dennis

YORK, Pa. — It’s the year of the rooster, and Penn State York is celebrating Chinese New Year from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 31, with a variety of activities, food and more. The festivities, which will take place in the Conference Center of the Main Classroom Building, are free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the Penn State York Diversity Committee, and a number of students from China and other countries are part of the planning.

The event will feature a variety of food, cultural displays, Chinese paper cutting, origami, music and more. Those attending will have an opportunity to have their names written in Chinese characters on cards they can take with them, and learn about the Chinese zodiac. There will also be giveaway items.

Planners of the celebration hope that those who attend will become more familiar with Chinese culture and understand that for Chinese students, this event is the equivalent of Christmas Day in the United States. Penn State York enrolls about 140 international students, with a large number of them coming from China.