In order to celebrate the Chinese New Year with the public and promote traditional Chinese customs, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from its Portuguese acronym) organizes the event “Let’s Celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Rat”. Over 27 activities will be held in various districts and cultural facilities, allowing the public to celebrate the Spring Festival in a rich cultural and artistic atmosphere.

In the mornings of the first three days of the Lunar New Year (25 to 27 January), the “Chinese New Year Activities 2020” will be held at Iao Hon Market Garden, Leisure Area at Edf. Lok Yeung Fa Yuen in Fai Chi Kei, Barra Square, Rotunda de Carlos da Maia, Pak Tai Temple in Taipa and Eduardo Marques Garden in Coloane. The Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Co., Ltd. and the Guangxi Art Performance Group Co., Ltd. will present puppet performances, folk music and dance performances, enhancing the festive atmosphere. On the same days at 1:30pm, the two art troupes will also perform at Anim'Arte NAM VAN and host workshops and stalls to display intangible cultural heritage, allowing the public to feel the strong atmosphere of folk customs. Other performances will be held concurrently at two World Heritage sites on the same days at 3pm: lion dance performances at the Mandarin’s House and the “Chinese New Year Concert” at the Lou Kau Mansion, offering a musical feast for residents and tourists to celebrate the Spring Festival.

In order to create a joyful atmosphere for the public to welcome the Chinese New Year, IC will host a number of music performances. The Macao Chinese Orchestra will present the “Spring Festival Concert” at 3pm on 18 January, at Rotunda de Carlos da Maia, and two concerts “Chinese New Year Concert - Macao Chinese Orchestra’s Concerts in Museums Series‧Where Chinese Melodies Hover” at 3pm and 4:30pm on 22 January, at the Jao Tsung-I Academy; as well as the “Spring Festival Concert – Celebration for Chinese New Year 2020” at 6pm on 23 January, at Anim'Arte NAM VAN. The School of Music of the Macao Conservatory will host the “Spring Concert 2020” at 3pm on 19 January, at the Auditorium of the Macao Conservatory, celebrating the festival with the sound of beautiful melodies.

During the Chinese New Year, a number of exhibitions will be held in various cultural facilities, including the large-scale exhibition “The Long Journey: The Forbidden City and Maritime Silk Road”, jointly organized by the Macao Museum of Art and the Palace Museum, which features nearly 150 cultural relics related to the Maritime Silk Road and selected from the Palace Museum’s collection, such as porcelains, scientific instruments, timepieces, daily necessities, enamelled pieces, calligraphic works, paintings and textiles, allowing the audience to enjoy the charm of the Forbidden City’s cultural treasures; while A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains 3.0 will also be presented on the 2^nd floor gallery of the MAM. On the day of the Lantern Festival (8 February), the MAM will host the “Lantern Festival Night – A Night in the Forbidden City”, in which participants can walk around the exhibition dressed in national costumes, watch performances and play games, among others, celebrating the Festival in an atmosphere with the splendour of the Forbidden City. In addition, the Macao Museum hosts the exhibition “A Pearl of the Sea – Exhibition of Macao’s Urban Evolution”, showcasing 101 pieces (sets) of exhibits that demonstrate the fruitful achievements since Macao’s handover in 1999; and “The World at Their Fingertips – Exhibition of Weaving, Dyeing and Embroidery Skill Art of Jiangsu Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region” will be held from 22 January to 16 February at the Chun Chou Tong Pavilion of Lou Lim Ioc Garden, featuring the traditional craft skills and showcasing over 200 pieces (sets) artworks of weaving, dyeing and embroidery from Jiangsu Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Admission is free for all the above mentioned performances, activities and exhibitions. All are welcome to participate.

There will also be a series of workshops and family activities during the Chinese New Year. Advance registration is required for some of the activities, which can be made through IC’s “Activity Registration System” at www.icm.gov.mo/eform/event. For enquiries about the activities, please contact IC through tel. no. 2836 6866 during office hours. A number of IC’s cultural facilities will remain open during the Lunar New Year. For details, please visit IC’s website at www.icm.gov.mo, its official WeChat account “ICMacao” or “IC Art” page on Facebook.

Activities in the event “Let’s Celebrate the Lunar New of the Rat”