March 2026
Fort Bend County Libraries will host a Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday, March 7, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, at George Memorial Library in Richmond.
Activities celebrating the Year of the Horse are planned for families with children of all ages.
Highlighting the event for the day, dancing lions from the USA Shaolin Xiu Lion Dance Team will perform at 3:15 pm, in the Lobby of the library. The dancing lions have been a very popular part of the celebration for many years. The performance will include rhythmic accompaniment by drummers.
Prior to the performance, the lion dancers will be available in the Meeting Room at 3:00 pm for photo opportunities and to explain the symbolism of the ceremonial lion dance. Get a behind-the-scenes peek and discover the secrets of how these talented dancers bring the lion costumes to life!
The day-long event will kick off at 11:00 am, in the Meeting Room, with a culinary demonstration of “Lunar New Year Cuisine.” Learn about traditional Asian celebratory foods and the symbolism of luck and fortune behind them. Samples will be served! Please note: be aware of food allergies to eggs, wheat, soy, yeast, and nuts.
At 12:00 noon, in the Meeting Room, musicians from the North American Youth Chinese Orchestra will perform a variety of traditional Chinese musical pieces on the violin and flute, as well as on Chinese instruments such as the pipa, guzheng, and zhong ruan.
At 1:30 pm, members of the USA Tai Chi Academy will present a Tai Chi Demonstration in the Meeting Room. An ancient Chinese discipline of meditative movements practiced as a system of exercises, tai chi is a form of martial arts often practiced for defense training, health benefits, and meditation. Discover how focusing on one’s balance can help a variety of issues, including arthritis.
A Lunar New Year Market will be set up in the Lobby and Meeting Room from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, with tables offering a variety of traditional Asian celebratory activities.
Visitors may join in playing Cai Deng Mi, or “Guessing the Lantern’s Riddle,” and win a prize if the answer is correct! The answer to the question, “What building has the most stories?” may be simpler than one thinks!
Visitors will also have an opportunity to learn about the art of Chinese calligraphy. Stop by the Chinese calligraphy table at the Lunar New Year Market to watch master calligraphers at work and get New Year fortunes or personal names beautifully portrayed in this written-art form!
The winner of a special Lunar New Year raffle prize will be announced at 2:45 pm, in the Meeting Room. Tickets will be available at the Lantern Riddle table in the Lunar Year Market throughout the event. Winners must be present to win!
This event was made possible by the Friends of George Memorial Library.
The Lunar New Year activities are free and open to the public.
Fort Bend County Libraries’ George Memorial Library is located at 1001 Golfview, off FM 762, in Richmond.