On Saturday, Feb. 14, Carleton’s annual Lunar New Year celebration will be back.  In collaboration with the Student Activities Office (SAO), the Asian Students In America Board (ASIA) will host this annual event in the Weitz Center for Creativity. The performances will take place in the Kracum Performance Hall, and after the performance, dinner and other activities will be offered.

For many students, particularly international students, Lunar New Year at Carleton is less about the specific date and more about recreating a sense of home. 

“In a lot of Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a really important holiday. It’s almost like another version of Christmas. We’re trying to foster a feeling of home away from home, especially for international students. When you’re 1,000 miles away from your family, it’s hard to feel that sense of belonging,” said Allison Tran ’26, co-president of the ASIA Board.

The Lunar New Year performances mean more than a show to some Carleton students. “Traditionally, many people watch Lunar New Year gala shows, like the Chinese New Year, and we’re recreating that feeling and vibe,” Tran said. “So, [we’re] basically inviting the whole crowd of the community to celebrate with us. It’s like a little family of our own.”

Co-president of the ASIA board, Katrina Ostrom ’26, celebrates this tradition with both the Carleton community and her family. “I actually celebrated [Lunar New Year] twice. I had the Carleton one, but then I also flew down to Florida, to where my mom was hosting Lunar New Year, because she’s involved with the Chinese association in our area. That was a whole different vibe, not like students, but they had the same program: the performers and food. It felt very similar,” said Ostrom.

At Carleton, the Lunar New Year celebration is a student-run activity, and its preparation spans weeks of intensive student work. The Lunar New Year celebration is the ASIA Board’s biggest event of the year, and students work for hours every week to ensure it runs smoothly on the day of the celebration. 

The performance takes the first part of the event. Bands, dances and lion dances are the most common shows to see on stage. “For the performers, they work hard. We give them a chance to have a stage rehearsal before the performance. Everyone’s putting in their hours, [and] everyone’s working hard to make it a good experience,” Tran said. 

The Lunar New Year celebration also provides a platform for performers from diverse cultural backgrounds. 

Fernando Jimenez, a violinist performing a solo at this year’s event, was drawn to the opportunity to share music. “I don’t know much about Lunar New Year, but that’s one reason I wanted to perform. It felt like a good opportunity to learn about another culture,” Fernando said. His family also celebrates the new year in another way in Latin America. “When the New Year happens, you just eat 12 grapes and each grape represents a month, and each month, hopefully, is good luck.”

Joshua Lee, another performer at this year’s event, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity. “I believe that the performers and the audience are equally necessary when it comes to being part of a greater community that appreciates the arts as much as Carleton does; both are equally participating in the performance and the celebration,” Lee said.

Each year after the performance, dinner is served for all the students, faculty, and staff who have signed up for this event. “I think it’s better than LDC (East Dining Hall),” Tran said. “We are actually catering from a restaurant called China Wok. It’s a family-run business. Last year, they were super nice about even driving all the food up there to Northfield by themselves.”

Last year, however, serving the food became a problem for the hosts. “One thing that we’re trying to do this year is to make sure there are enough drinks for everybody. Because last year, the drinks were all laid out, and some people took multiple drinks. If you’re gonna do that, at least be sneaky and come back in line and get one…. So, we are hoping that we have enough drinks this time,” Ostrom said. 

To keep guests engaged while waiting, ASIA plans to introduce table activities like origami and trivia. 

“A lot of times, after the performances happen, you have to wait for your table to be called up, and then you’re just sitting, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m so hungry!’ So, we want to have some little activities for people,” Ostrom said.

This year’s celebration falls on Valentine’s Day, a coincidence that organizers acknowledge but do not view as a major obstacle. “Obviously, we can’t do much about it. If you prioritize the New Year, you’ll be there,” Tran said.