January/February 2025

Fort Bend County Libraries will host Lunar New Year Celebrations at several locations in January and February. Activities and crafts celebrating the Year of the Snake are planned for families with children of all ages. Made possible by the Friends of the Library organizations that support these libraries, the Lunar New Year activities are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).

• Saturday, January 25, 2:00-4:00 pm -- George Memorial Library in Richmond.

Dancing lions from the Katy Kung Fu Lion Dance Team (USA Shaolin Xiu Culture Center) will perform in the lobby of the library at 2:30 pm. The dancing lions have been a very popular part of the celebration for many years.

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. In addition to the performance, the dancers will explain the traditions and significance of the lion dance for the peoples of the Asian communities.

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!

Children may visit the library’s Youth Department, where they can make their own paper lantern to take home with them.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to learn about the art of Chinese calligraphy. A station will be set up in the lobby, where a volunteer from the T.E. Harman Center in Sugar Land will demonstrate the art of calligraphy by writing names in Chinese.

This event was made possible by the Friends of George Memorial Library.

• Wednesday, January 29, 10:00 am-9:00 pm – University Branch Library, Sugar Land

Celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake! Solving riddles is a traditional activity associated with the Lunar New Year. Throughout the day, visit the 2nd-floor Reference Desk to solve a riddle and win a prize!

PARKING INSTRUCTIONS: Park inside the gated lot (VISITOR LOT 4).  Bring the parking-ticket stub to the check-out desk inside the library to be validated by library staff. Parking is FREE if the ticket is validated by the library. Parking outside the gated lot may result in a parking violation from the University of Houston.

• Saturday, February 1, 2:00-3:00 pm – Sugar Land Branch Library

Capture the pageantry and excitement of the dancing lions from the Katy Kung Fu Lion Dance Team (USA Shaolin Xiu Culture Center), who will perform at 2:00 pm. The dancing lions have been a very popular part of the celebration for many years.

In addition to the performance, the dancers will explain the traditions and significance of the lion dance for the peoples of the Asian communities.

This event was made possible by the Friends of the Sugar Land Branch Library.

• Saturday, February 8, 10:00 am-12:00 noon – Cinco Ranch Branch Library, Katy

Dancing lions from the Katy Kung Fu Lion Dance Team (USA Shaolin Xiu Culture Center) will perform in the lobby of the library at 10:30 am. The dancing lions have been a very popular part of the celebration for many years.

In addition to the performance, the dancers will explain the traditions and significance of the lion dance for the peoples of the Asian communities.

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.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to learn about the art of Chinese calligraphy. A station will be set up in the lobby, where Peter Maa, a volunteer instructor at the T.E. Harman Center in Sugar Land, will demonstrate the art of calligraphy by writing names in Chinese.

This event was made possible by the Friends of the Cinco Ranch Branch Library.