Tenafly, NJ – February 2, 2025 – The Bergen Chinese School hosted a lively and heartwarming Lunar New Year celebration on February 2 at Tenafly, New Jersey, marking an especially memorable event. This year was particularly significant as it marked the first-time participation of FASCA members, who provided valuable support with setup, program distribution, crowd management, and photography throughout the festivities.
As one of the largest Chinese schools in New Jersey, Bergen Chinese School currently enrolls nearly 300 students from Pre-Kindergarten to 10th grade and Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning. The Bergen Chinese School Parent-Teacher Association strongly supports the school, its teachers, and students. More than 500 people attended the celebration, including students, faculty, families, and local residents.
Families from 24 classes contributed a wonderful variety of homemade Taiwanese dishes, including dumplings, spring rolls, fried rice, scallion pancakes, pineapple cake, bubble tea, and more. The delicious food transformed the atmosphere into a feast of flavors. The abundance of food was as inviting as it was diverse, sparking conversations and creating a sense of warmth among attendees. One parent even remarked that the food was better than what is served in restaurants.
The official celebration began with a captivating lion dance, accompanied by a kung fu demonstration. Two performers dressed as lively lions dazzled the crowd, their movements synchronized to the beat of drums and festive music, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event.
Several distinguished guests took to the stage to address the gathering. Among them were New Jersey Senator Andy Kim, who sent his greetings via video, New Jersey Assemblywomen Shama Haider and Ellen Park, Tenafly Mayor Mark Zinna, and representatives from the Bergen County and Tenafly Council. Forrest Chen, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office’s (TECO) Culture Center, also delivered an inspiring speech. Other notable figures, including Nelson Tai, Chairman of the Association of New Jersey Chinese Schools, and Jessica Lee, the association’s President, were also present, sharing in the celebration and generously offering lucky money to the dancing lions.
The heart of the event lay in the performances that followed, showcasing the talents and hard work of Bergen Chinese School students. Traditional lion and dragon dances impressed the audience, while the graceful fan dance added a refined touch to the festivities. Pre-K and 1st grade students, dressed in bright red clothes, happily danced to "Years Go By," "Child’s Sky," "Let’s Swing the Oars," and "Courage." The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students tells the story of "12 Zodiacs New Year Greetings" and "The Story of Nian (年的故事)." The dance of "365 Blessings" and t "Gong Xi Gong Xi (恭喜恭喜) " brought everyone the joy of the New Year. Students from Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning livened up the audiences enthusiasm with a lively performance of "Cha Cha New Year (Cha Cha 過新年)".
The most eye-catching program is “The Shadow Play (皮影戲), which is a modern interpretation of the story of Chu Liuxiang (楚留香之博根傳奇). The performance explored the struggles of students and parents learning Chinese while highlighting the importance of the language in developing intelligence. The performance was enhanced by powerful, emotive music, amplifying the emotional connection with the audience.
Bergen Chinese School’s Lunar New Year celebrations are a testament to the power of tradition, community, and cultural pride. It brought joy to all in attendance, fostering unity among students, parents, and volunteers, and leaving everyone with lasting memories of a beautiful and meaningful event. At the end of the day, everyone enjoyed delicious food, watched spectacular performances, and won raffle prizes, including a 50/50 drawing.
