Year of the Tiger

CAMDC joins The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the return of A Lunar New Year Celebration January 27–February 6, 2022

FOR RELEASE (Kennedy Center Release)

January 10, 2022

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announces the return of A Lunar New Year Celebration January 27–February 6, 2022

Featuring free activities:

REACH Winter Lanterns display
Chinese and Korean evenings at the REACH
Giveaways, food trucks, and photo opportunities with characters
Millennium Stage performances on January 29 and February 3

(WASHINGTON)—From January 27 through February 6, the Kennedy Center’s Lunar New Year

Celebration returns, honoring the traditional holiday that is observed in countries and territories

around the globe. This year’s free festivities in the “Year of the Tiger,” presented in collaboration

with Kaleido Arts & Entertainment Group LCC, include the return of the popular Winter

Lanterns display outdoors on the REACH campus, performances on the Millennium Stage,

and two weekends of special evening programs—REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS, celebrating

Chinese and Korean arts and culture.

“The Winter Lanterns became an exciting and important part of our annual Lunar New Year

Celebration that began in 2016.” stated Alicia Adams, Vice President of International

Programming and curator of the Kennedy Center’s Lunar New Year celebrations. “The outdoor

spaces of the REACH provide our audiences with a wonderful opportunity to experience the

Chinese and Korean cultures. And after a year hiatus, we are thrilled to return to our annual

celebration and hope visitors of all ages will enjoy the unique and luminous lanterns around the

campus.”

With a stunning display of approximately 100 Winter Lanterns, the REACH Winter Lanterns

are made up of 10,000 colored LED lights and crafted by Chinese artisans. Offering a whimsical

experience for visitors, the Winter Lanterns display includes six outdoor installations: the

Butterfly Garden, Flamingo Lagoon, Coral Reef, Panda Grove, Mushroom Forest, and Flower

Path.

REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS, January 27–30 and February 3–6, will add excitement and

interactive outdoor activities to the evenings. The first week, which will highlight Chinese

culture, offers photo opportunities with Tiger and Panda characters; writing and sending letters

to former National Zoo pandas Bao Bao, Tai Shan, and Bei Bei, who are now in China; Lunar New

Year freebies, and more. The second week of the celebration spotlights Korean arts and culture

and includes activities such as a traditional Korean costume display at the River Pavilion; photo

opportunities with Korean mascot characters, along with further Lunar New Year giveaways.

Both weekends will include food truck offerings on the REACH plaza.

Featuring the 2021 Asian American Music Society (AAMS) competition winners along with

George Mason University student performers, the January 29 Millennium Stage performance

will include performances of traditional classical repertoires of West to East highlighting

instrumentalists (Jasmine Flower String Quartet, Woodwind Ensemble, among others), as well

as AAMS’s Chamber Singers. Korean artists take the Millennium Stage on February 3 to share

performances composed of Korean creative music mixed with Korean traditional instruments

and Western instruments. K-Pop dancers will also collaborate on various music selections.

A full schedule of events follows:

REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS: China

Supported by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America, the Chinese

American Museum, Washington, D.C.

Thursday, January 27 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Friday, January 28 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 29 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 30 4:00–9:00 p.m.

Monday-Wednesday, Jan. 31 & Feb. 1–2, the grounds are open for lantern viewing but food service may be

limited.

Outdoors at the REACH

FREE, no tickets required

In the first week of REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS, guests will enjoy interactive activities such as

photo opportunities with tiger and panda characters; writing and sending letters at the

Presidential Grove to pandas Bao Bao, Tai Shan, and Bei Bei, who are now in China; choose a new

year’s wish for 2022; REACH video wall projections; and Lunar New Year freebies such as tiger

masks, zodiac stickers, make your own pinwheel kits, and more. In addition, food trucks will be

located on the REACH plaza.

Asian American Music Society: Prelude to Lunar New Year Young Musicians Concert

Saturday, January 29, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.

Millennium Stage, Grand Foyer

FREE, no tickets required

The Asian American Music Society (AAMS) presents a showcase entitled Prelude to Lunar New

Year Young Musicians Concert. The performance features the 2021 Asian American Music Society

competition winners along with George Mason University student performers performing

traditional classical repertoires of West to East featuring instrumentalists (Jasmine Flower

String Quartet, Woodwind Ensemble & more), as well as AAMS’s Chamber Singers.

G – Hwaja: Sound of Korean Soul

Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.

Millennium Stage, Grand Foyer

FREE, no tickets required

Presented by the Korean Cultural Center, Korean artists take the stage to share performances

composed of Korean creative music mixed with Korean traditional instruments and Western

instruments. Such instruments include a haegeum (traditional Korean string instrument,

resembling a vertical fiddle with two strings); a janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum with two

sound boxes for percussion music); and gayageums (traditional Korean plucked zither with 12/25

strings); among others. Additionally, performances consisting of K-Pop dancers will collaborate

with a selection of the music.

REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS: Korea

Supported by Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C.

Thursday, February 3 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Friday, February 4 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Saturday, February 5 5:30–9:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 6 4:00–9:00 p.m.

Outdoors at the REACH

FREE, no tickets required

The second week of REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS brings a traditional Korean costume display

at the River Pavilion; photo opportunities with Korean mascot characters; choosing a new year’s

wish for 2022; REACH video wall projections; and Lunar New Year freebies such as fan and mask

coloring take home kits, tattoo stickers, Dock-Chee traditional game (as seen on Squid Game),

spinning tops, and more. In addition, food trucks will be located on the REACH plaza.

REACH Winter Lanterns

Presented in Collaboration with Kaleido Arts & Entertainment LLC

January 27–February 6, 2022

Outdoors at the REACH

On display nightly

FREE, no tickets required

The REACH glows with the return of approximately 100 stunning Winter Lanterns crafted by

Chinese artisans and made up of 10,000 colored LED lights, including the Panda Grove,

Mushroom Forest, Flower Path, Coral Reef, Flamingo Lagoon, and Butterfly Garden display.

Along with the beautiful lantern displays, visitors can enjoy food trucks and interactive activities

over two weekends (January 27–30 and February 3–6).

Funding Credits

David M. Rubenstein

Cornerstone of the REACH

REACH Winter Lanterns 2022 is presented in collaboration with Kaleido Arts & Entertainment

Group LLC

REACH Winter Lanterns Plus: CHINA is supported by the Embassy of the People's Republic of

China in the United States of America and The Chinese American Museum, Washington, D.C.

REACH Winter Lanterns Plus: Korea is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea

and Korean Cultural Center, Washington, D.C.

#KennedyCenter

PRESS CONTACTS

Brendan Padgett

bepadgett@kennedy-center.org

Brittany Laeger

balaeger@kennedy-center.org