The Chinese Culture Club at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is hosting the sixth annual Lantern Festival on Friday, February 16.

The event will be held in the Courtyard of the Noel Fine Arts Center, opening with a Chinese dinner at 5 p.m. A performance of traditional Chinese dances, songs and TaiChi will begin at 7 p.m. in Michelsen Hall. Admission is $8 and tickets are available at the University Box Office, 200 Division St., or by calling (715) 346-4100 or (800) 838-3378. Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted.

The Lantern Festival is often thought of as the Valentine�s Day of China. It takes place on the fifteenth night after the Chinese New Year and is celebrated by families of Chinese descent around the world. It is one of the few days in Chinese culture when a curfew is not enforced and many young people celebrate through the night and into the morning. Typical celebrations include parades, street performances and family gatherings with a wide variety of foods.

The Chinese Culture Club at UWSP is a student organization dedicated to promoting both modern and traditional Chinese culture through events and activities. The goal of the club is to create friendship, cultural exchange and mutual understanding between students.

For more information, contact Heidi Ngai, president of the Chinese Culture Club, via e-mail at hngai792@uwsp.edu

Ko/vc/Chinese lantern festival