Malden Lunar New Year Celebration Achieves Success in 15th Year

The Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) is elated to announce a huge success of the 15th Annual Malden Lunar New Year Celebration, held on Saturday, February 3, 2024. This year's event emerged as a dazzling expression of Malden's cultural richness and unifying spirit of the community, radiating joy and warmth far beyond its boundary into the hearts of the Greater Boston Area.

Held at Malden High School, the festivities drew a diverse and enthusiastic crowd of residents and visitors from neighboring areas. The day brimmed with dynamic festival performances, hands-on arts and crafts activities that offered a journey through the Lunar New Year traditions, and vendors representing various industries and regions across the Greater Boston.

The celebration commenced with a heartwarming speech from the mayor of Malden, Gary Christenson. In an homage to tradition, mayor Christenson donned an attire of the God of Good Fortune and delivered a portion of his greetings in Mandarin, showcasing his deep cultural appreciation. The CCC was greatly honored to receive a citation from mayor Christenson, in recognition of 15 years of dedication to bringing the Lunar New Year's heritage to the Malden community.

This year's performances featured a breathtaking array of talents, spanning the age spectrum from preschool children to seniors over 70. New England WUSHU Academy set the stage for the festivities, while a lion dance presented by Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy opened the second half of the celebration. The event welcomed performers from cities other than Malden, adding to the richness of the experience

One of the traditions of the celebration was the introduction of the U.S. Postal Service Lunar New Year stamp series. This year, Bill Collins, Manager of the Malden Post Office, joined the CCC in unveiling the Lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon Forever stamp.

This year’s Lunar New Year Fair has surpassed previous years with over 20 vendors taking part in the event at the foyer of the Jenkins Auditorium. Attendees engaged in lantern riddles, witnessed the artistry of calligraphy, captured moments at the festival-themed photo booth, and explored various crafts such as dough figurine sculpting and paper cutting. A free vaccine clinic offering flu and COVID-19 vaccinations added a note of care and community service.

The CCC was honored to have the presence of Malden City Councilors-At-Large and Ward City Councilors for this special occasion. Liam Horsman, Regional Director of the Office of U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey, and Massachusetts State Representative Paul Donato also graced the event with their presence.

With hearts full of gratitude, the CCC thanks everyone involved—participants, sponsors, volunteers, and the community—for their invaluable support in making the 15th Annual Malden Lunar New Year Celebration a resounding success. The sponsors who made this event successful include:

• Annual Sponsor: South Cove Community Health Center
• Gold Sponsor: Bunker Hill Community College, Eagle Bank, East Cambridge Savings Bank
• Silver Sponsor: Engel & Völkers Wellesley, HungryPanda, Medford Adult Day Health Center, MT Law LLC, Salem Five Bank, Sunshine Childcare Center
• Bronze Sponsor: AeLeeMD Laser Center, Malden Catholic High School, 99 Asian Supermarket

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About the Chinese Culture Connection

The Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization founded in 1985 in Reading, MA. In 1999, we relocated to Malden at the invitation of former mayor Richard C. Howard to support the growing Asian population there and to build connections between Asian residents and the diverse Malden community and its surrounding cities. Through diverse educational programs, cross-cultural dialogues, and special events, the CCC empowers Chinese immigrants and Chinese descendants of the Greater Boston Area to appreciate and retain their heritage, develop bicultural fluency, and enrich others with a deeper understanding of Chinese language and culture.

For more information about the CCC, please visit www.ChineseCultureConnection.org.