By: Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Burlington Local-News.ca
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre was alive with colour, culture, and celebration on Saturday, February 7, 2026, as Redleaf Cultural Integration (RCI) hosted its annual Lunar New Year Spring Festival, welcoming the Year of the Horse.
Community members filled the theatre and atrium to take part in an afternoon that blended tradition, performance, and connection. Among those in attendance were Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, city councillors Paul Sharman and Lisa Kearns, and MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos, all of whom joined residents in celebrating the cultural significance of the Lunar New Year.
Before the curtain rose at 3 p.m., the Burlington Performing Arts Centre atrium transformed into a vibrant cultural hub. Attendees explored a free cultural exhibition, browsed vendors, and participated in interactive activities. One of the most popular attractions was traditional sugar painting by Fei Hong, a sugar artist known for transforming melted white sugar and maltose into intricate edible artwork. Using a custom-made bronze ladle as a brush, he created detailed zodiac animals, lucky symbols, and playful designs on marble slabs. Once cooled, each piece was lifted and finished with a bamboo skewer, turning the artwork into a decorative and delicious lollipop.
Guests also posed for photos with a traditional Chinese New Year dragon, tested their knowledge in a green tea tasting game, and received hand-brushed Chinese calligraphy featuring symbols of luck and prosperity for the year ahead.
Fei Hong created intricate painted sugar creations.
Maisy and her family came from Oakville to celebrate Lunar New Year.
Before the main performance, Kearns and Sharman presented certificates of appreciation to event sponsors on behalf of Redleaf Cultural Integration. Key sponsors and businesses recognized included the Betsy Wang Real Estate Team, Rusty Design Canada, the Rocca Sisters Team, and CIBC.
Meed Ward shared remarks celebrating both the cultural importance of the event and RCI’s role in the community. “On behalf of the City of Burlington, I am delighted to extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the Redleaf Lunar New Year celebration at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre,” she said. “This event brings our community together to honour the rich traditions of the Lunar New Year. Celebrating the Year of the Horse and what it represents — strength, independence and bravery — is a time to embrace renewed unity and hope for the year ahead. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Redleaf Cultural Integration for their exceptional service to our community, and especially to founder and president Lily Hudson and the board members for their continued dedication to Burlington and the Halton region.”
Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of renewal in Chinese culture and is guided by the zodiac cycle. The Year of the Horse officially begins on February 17, 2026. In the Chinese zodiac, the horse symbolizes vitality, courage, and progress. The year ahead is anticipated to be one of energy, bold action, and fresh beginnings, with those born in the Year of the Horse often described as confident, independent, and optimistic.
The event also highlighted community partnership and inclusion. Representatives from Halton Community Housing, Sophia Makridis and Andrew Porecki, attended alongside 25 seniors, who were gifted tickets to the celebration.
“It was important for us to reduce senior isolation by providing tickets to a wonderful cultural experience,” said Makridis. “Many of our residents may not be familiar with Asian cultures, and this was such a beautiful opportunity for everyone — Asian and non-Asian seniors alike — to come together, mingle and experience something new.”
Porecki added that RCI performers have previously visited Halton Community Housing senior residences during holidays and summer programming, further strengthening those community connections.
Dragon dancers pose in the atrium of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre ahead of their performance.
Dancers perform at RCI’s Lunar New Year Celebration for the Year of the Horse.
The stage program was hosted by Stella Li and Jason Peng, and featured a diverse lineup of performances that reflected both cultural heritage and artistic collaboration. Performances included a Lion Dance and kung fu showcase by Wayland Li Martial Arts Centre, “Joyful Spring” by Yang Yang Dance Studio, and choral pieces by the RCI Senior Group. The RCI Dance Group performed “What the World Has Given Me,” choreographed by Lu Yu, while Shoujin Tan delivered a powerful tenor performance of “Here to Stay.”
The audience was captivated by “Auyuittuq Sunrise” and “Chinese New Year” performed by Sultans of String, and delighted by The Wonderful World of Circus, a pet show featuring trained puppies performing tricks. Instrumental performances included “History” by the Yuan Yin Zither Ensemble, and a mixed ensemble featuring Chinese flute, pipa, erhu, and keyboard.
Additional highlights included “Jasmine Flower” by the Redleaf Dance Group, a soprano performance by Vicky He, “Nessun Dorma” and “Across the Water” performed by tenor Romulo Delgado, and a performance by the Graham Irish Dancers. Kaleidoscope Chinese Performing Arts presented “A Hundred Flowers in Bloom,” and the evening concluded with the Redleaf Choir, conducted by Lina Li with piano accompaniment by Zach Li.
As the final notes echoed through the theatre, the 2026 Year of the Horse celebration stood as a testament to Burlington’s growing cultural vibrancy — a reminder that community, tradition, and joy are best experienced together.
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