Chinese New Year Celebration

at Musicians Corner, Centennial Park with CAAN

Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville (CAAN) is collaborating with many organizations and schools to make this 8th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration an exciting free event for the public.

Chinese say that people who are born in the year of the rabbit are calm and peaceful. They avoid fighting and arguing but are artistic and have good taste for life. The Rabbit’s kindness may make them seem soft and weak. In truth, the Rabbit’s quiet personality hides their confidence and strength.

The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit in 2023 is the first year that we are moving the event site to Centennial Park’s Musicians Corner at 2500 West End Avenue, Nashville. We are super excited.

Date: Saturday, January 28, 2023

Venue: Musicians Corner, Centennial Park, Nashville (2500 West End Avenue)

Time: 11:30 AM to 3 PM

Free public Chinese New Year Celebration

Activities (11:30 AM-2:00 or 3 PM): Puppet show, Arts/crafts for kids, Chinese naming, Chinese knotting workshop, TaiChi workshop. Teaching artists from Frist Art Museum are leading an art-making program, and teaching artists from Nashville Ballet will guide an exploration of rabbit movement. Nashville Zoo is bringing its Flemish Giant Rabbit to join the fun. Sister Cities of Nashville is hosting a Kite Flying workshop, and more.

Food Trucks (11:30 AM-3 PM): We have invited Asian Food Trucks: Changkham Shushi, ChaoFan Food Truck, and Laovin It. Special treats can be purchased from Super Puff Cotton Candy, CAAN’s “Rabbit Snacks,” and our Hot Chocolate Station.

Performance (1:00 -3 PM): Lion dance, dragon dance, Chinese dances, songs, music, Chinese martial arts, and schools’ presentations. At the end, a rippling 60-foot dragon will parade through Centennial Park.

Dress in your favorite Rabbit character costume, such as Jade Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, Peter Rabbit, Energizer Bunny, Thumper, …! Or put on a Chinese outfit or simply wear red. Red is the lucky color for Chinese New Year!

Special for this year of the Rabbit: Nashville Public Library’s Puppet Truck is presenting “the Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings.” CAAN is offering Bunny Headband making, Bunny face painting, Chinese Tangram Creative Puzzle, and Ring Toss games. There also will be Chinese New Year Couplet writing in traditional Chinese calligraphy.

This event is made possible by grants awarded by Nissan Foundation, TN Arts Commission, Metro Nashville Arts Commission, Caterpillar Financial, South Arts (in association with National Endowment for the Arts), and Vanderbilt University.

CAAN’s supporters are Metro Nashville Parks’ Dance Division, Centennial Park Conservancy, Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation, Nashville Scene, and Celebrate Nashville.

Our performing and presentation partners are Puppet Truck, Frist Art Museum, Nashville Ballet, AfricaNashville, Sister Cities of Nashville, Borderless Arts TN, Sticky Rice Collective, Shoes Off Nashville. and CAAN’s lion dance, dragon dance, contemporary dance and Dance Nashville, Chinese dance group.

Participating Schools are Ensworth School, Merrol Hyde Magnet School, Nashville Youth Poet Laureate, Nashville Chinese School, Brentwood High, and MLK High.