New Year celebrations are not over yet. On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Chinese community in Guilford and Madison will come together at Guilford High School (GHS) to celebrate Chinese New Year 2017, the year of the rooster.

While hosted by the Chinese community, the event includes the community at large to share in the Chinese culture. The event, which quickly filled to capacity, includes traditional Chinese cultural activities, games, kids activities, performances, and a potluck-style meal.

PR Director for the event Jing Zhang said this is the first year the community is hosting the event at GHS, but said he thinks it is the perfect location.

“One [reason] is its beautiful new stage and common area,” he said. “Another is that we plan to establish some long-term relationship with school performing arts programs, and the last is to share our culture with the rest of community in the two towns and shoreline at large.”

Zhang said the Chinese community between the two towns is made up of about 100 families and said nearly 550 people have already registered to attend the event, making the event already overbooked. Zhang said the community has also made a point of reaching out to American families in the area who have adopted children from China to invite them as well.

Performances will go on throughout the night with nearly 80 performers participating in a series of 15 short programs. Famed forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee will open the program and other guest such as State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98) are expected to attend.

There is no fee to attend, but Zhang said, as this is a community event, each family is asked to bring food or a beverage to the event.