Students and faculty crowded into Kemper Auditorium to watch classmates sing and dance, performing everything from karaoke to traditional dances. With lively MCs and lion dances captivating the audience, the only thing that could distract from the talent show was the savory scent of Chinese dishes flowing in from the Underwood room, ready to be devoured after the festivities were over.
Held on January 24, Andover’s Lunar New Year event was a vibrant celebration of talent and tradition. Students took the stage with performances representing their Chinese classes or showcasing independent acts. Alongside the performances, a food festival — featuring dishes prepared by parents and local vendors — brought the community together through shared meals and cultural appreciation. Attendee Daniel Zhang ’28 acknowledged how the event honored Chinese traditions, celebrated diversity, and strengthened connections within the Andover community.
“I would say the food festival definitely reminded me more of the spirit of the Chinese Lunar New Year Festival. I mean, people were all crowded around. I sat with my friends… [it] was just a really wholesome moment. I really enjoyed it because it was really warm inside too. I really enjoyed that warm fuzzy feeling that I’m surrounded by people who I love while celebrating my Chinese culture and heritage, while of course eating delicious food,” said Zhang.
Zhang also reflected on his performance, highlighting the variety of cultural acts that contributed to the vibrant and interactive atmosphere. He compared the festival to previous events and shared his enthusiasm for his favorite performances.
“[Alex Lin ’28 and I], performed “Second Last”, a Chinese piece, while doing flow ball light dancing to the singing. The performances I enjoyed the most were the ones where the whole class had a lot of energy. Additionally, a notable performance was when they played the traditional Chinese flute and the Guzheng, which is a traditional Chinese instrument, because those really exemplified the spirit of Chinese traditional cultural elements,” said Zhang.
Similarly, Takunda Basvi ’28 appreciated the cultural experience the celebration offered. She expressed her gratitude for the eye-opening event, and how it helped learn about new cultures.
“What I really took away from the festival is that just always have an open mind because I remember I feel like I wouldn’t be able to get this type of diversity… if I was back in my hometown, I wouldn’t be able to get this type of exposure to new things, and I just really learned to have an open mind to keep an open mind, especially throughout learning such like a new language like Chinese and then also trying different food. I just really learned that Chinese people are really welcoming, and they’re really loving people,” said Basvi.
The Lunar New Year celebration was not only an opportunity for new experience, but also a meaningful way for students to connect with their cultural roots. Krissy Zhu ’28 shared how traditional foods, music, and treats reminded her of home and brought a sense of belonging to the Chinese community on campus.
“I was able to connect through aspects of my culture because there’s so many Chinese parents helping there, and there [were] many traditional foods. The songs they played were traditional and old. I think in general, I was really able to connect with the Chinese community of Andover. My favorite dish is the tanghulu because it has been my favorite candy/dessert even when I’m at home in Shanghai China. So tasting it here makes me really happy and made me feel that there’s a community for people that celebrate Lunar New Year here,” said Zhu.
This sentiment was shared by others, including Zhang, whose friend’s parents catered traditional hotpot from Liu YiShou. The event featured many traditional dishes, and Zhang expressed how the thoughtful food selections created an authentic experience for the Andover community to enjoy.
“The Chinese parents and the parents’ association came really prepared. There was a really diverse range of food…tanghulu, fruit desserts, some dry desserts, some pastry desserts, and then there were also sweet desserts–there was this liquid containing a kind of clear boba. There were a lot of traditional Chinese dishes as you would find. Zehan’s parents graciously brought Liu Yishou Huo Guo. Liu Yishou is a famous Chinese hotpot restaurant that you can actually find in Chinatown, and it’s one of the most well-known Chinese hotpot restaurants, at least in the U.S, and it was kind of like this catering service by Liu YiShou, where they had like a simpler version of a hotpot. It was really delicious, of course, because it was prepared by a restaurant, I believe,” said Zhang.
While the event was well received by its participants, Zhang suggested improvements in space and timing for future celebrations, hoping for a more accessible and enjoyable space for everyone.
“If Andover has the resources, bringing the food section to a bigger space would definitely help because the line was really long, and it was like one guy guarding the entire line. So if there was a bigger space, more students could enjoy the event. I also didn’t like how the senior recital was scheduled exactly at the same time as these two events because I would have liked to go to that senior performance as well,” said Zhang.
