Entertainment

Lunar New Year 2025: Celebrating Year of the Snake

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Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Written by Sheila D. Barker

Lunar New Year, also known as the 'Spring Festival,' is the most important traditional festival in China. The celebration marks the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, combining elements from both the Gregorian and lunar-solar systems.
The festival has a history spanning thousands of years, rich with myths and legends. One popular story involves the mythical beast Nian, who would terrorize villages until he was scared away by loud noises, bright lights, and the color red—practices still prevalent in today's celebrations.
The Year of the Snake is one of the twelve zodiac cycles in the Chinese calendar, embodying traits such as wisdom, intuition, and elegance. Those born under this sign are often seen as intelligent and enigmatic, possessing a magnetic charm that draws people in.
In 2025, the Year of the Snake begins on Jan. 29. This period is anticipated to bring transformation and new opportunities, making it a significant time for reflection and growth. Understanding these cultural nuances can help brands align their messaging with the hopes and aspirations of consumers during this auspicious period.
Lunar New Year is celebrated with a variety of vibrant traditions and customs. These include family reunions, festive meals, and the giving of red envelopes filled with money, which symbolize good luck and prosperity. Additionally, lion dances, fireworks, and the decoration of homes with red lanterns and couplets are common practices.
Preparations for the Lunar New Year begin well in advance, with families cleaning their homes to sweep away bad luck and make room for good fortune. This practice is known as 'sweeping the dust.'
Homes are decorated with red lanterns, couplets, and paper cutouts symbolizing prosperity, happiness, and longevity. The color red is predominant as it is believed to ward off evil spirits and bad fortune.
Food plays a central role in the celebrations, with dishes like dumplings, rice cakes, and fish symbolizing wealth, unity, and abundance. These age-old traditions not only foster a sense of community but also serve to honor ancestors and
welcome new beginnings.
Other traditional foods include Niangao (glutinous rice cake) for higher income or position, and Tangyuan (sweet rice balls) which signify family unity and togetherness.
Numerous customs and activities are observed during the Lunar New Year. Lion and dragon dances are performed to scare away evil spirits and bring good luck. These lively performances are accompanied by the sound of drums, gongs, and cymbals.
While many traditional practices remain, the Lunar New Year has also evolved with modern times. In urban areas, it's common to see grand fireworks displays and large-scale public events.
The festival has a global impact, with celebrations taking place in Chinatowns and Asian communities worldwide. This cultural diffusion helps to spread the rich traditions of the Lunar New Year, making it a truly global celebration.

Community members and organizations bring Lafayette Bicentennial celebration to fruition

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Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Written by Anna White

The community is rallying in preparation for extensive celebrations surrounding the Bicentennial anniversary of Revolutionary War General, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette’s farewell tour of America. Lafayette’s original tour spanned 1824-1825 and took him through various cities in 24 states, including Fayetteville. A series of celebrations held on March 4 and 5, as well as preceding events, will give community members the chance to follow in Lafayette’s footsteps.
In February of 2022, under the direction of Hank Parfitt who serves as Chair, a planning committee was formed to plan the Bicentennial Celebration. Parfitt said much of the first year was spent team-building, inviting community members to participate, and building a framework for upcoming events. They’re basing the reenactment of events off a contemporaneous report of Lafayette’s visit to Fayetteville published in the Carolina Observer, now the Fayetteville Observer, that described Lafayette’s time in the city.
Currently, Parfitt says there are nearly 20 organizations involved in the committee, including individuals from the city and county government, local art museums, and historical organizations. “It represents a wide cross-section of the city,” Parfitt explained.
He said the committee also spent time making sure that the celebration was beneficial for all the organizations involved and aligned with their particular vision.
“As you can imagine, there's a lot of work in that,” he shared.
As a Frenchman who fought in an American uniform, Lafayette was the last surviving American Major General of the Revolutionary War. Fayetteville was the only namesake city he visited during his final tour. Parfitt noted that the tour took place during a time of deep division.
“The nation was deeply divided over the economy, over the issue of slavery, and there were political problems with the election of 1824.”
Yet, Lafayette was universally admired despite the vitriol, and it’s estimated that 6 million of the then 9.5 million American population saw Lafayette during his tour.
According to Parfitt, Lafayette was grieved that the country he helped found on the basis of equality and freedom was enslaving a large percentage of its inhabitants. He became a great supporter of emancipation.
“He was a shining light of liberty and national self-determination,” Parfitt explained.
The upcoming Fayetteville celebrations organized by the Lafayette Society are part of “Lafayette 200,” a 13-month long, 24-state-wide Bicentennial celebration organized by The American Friends of Lafayette. According to their website, the AFL is a historical and patriotic society dedicated to the memory of Lafayette and to the study of his life and times in America and France.
Together with the American Friends of Lafayette, Fayetteville is one of many principal cities Lafayette visited that are taking the opportunity to host a celebration.
“It is a celebration of our community's history and serves as a reminder of the ideals that Lafayette stood for, which are still so relevant today, such as justice and freedom,” said Anna Meyer, Executive Director of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.
Meyer is one of several sub-committee chairs helping coordinate upcoming events as part of the planning committee. She is focusing on marketing the events and coordinating a dinner-theater performance. She described an abundance of community collaborations behind-the-scenes working to bring the events together.
“The celebration is truly community-centric, and many people have stepped up to make it possible.”
Parfitt shared that organizations and institutions involved in the planning committee include the Lafayette Society, Fayetteville Museum of History, Museum of the Cape Fear, The Arts Council, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, The Gilbert Theater, Cumberland County Library, Distinctly Fayetteville (Convention and Visitors Bureau), Sons of the American Revolution - Marquis de Lafayette Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution - Liberty Point and Col. Robert Rowan Chapters, Colonial Dames, The Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Methodist University, Cumberland County, City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County Schools.
They’re working together to coordinate a series of ticketed and free events including Regency-era dance workshops by Charles Steplively (Jeremy Gershman), a Lafayette Lecture by Dr. Lloyd Kramer, and eventually the two-day celebration on March 4 and 5 which will include the following events: Mini Tours of the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Armory and Carriage, Lafayette’s Procession and Welcome, Explore Lafayette’s Legacy in Fayetteville, Farewell Tour Ball, and Farewell Tour Dinner with live music and theater-in-the-round.
Parfitt said that the committee members are outstanding, with groups such as the Colonial Dames handling the Farewell Tour Dinner and the Daughters of the American Revolution handling the Farewell Tour Ball.
“Each individual event now has a strong co-chair in charge who shares the vision and has the determination to accomplish the mission,” he said.
Meyer encouraged community members to join in the festivities and said she thought it would be a “memorable celebration.”
Parfitt lauded the committee and anticipated the same.
“They’re doing a really fantastic job to make sure this is an event that our city can be proud of.” Learn more at lafayettesociety.org

(Photo: The Fayetteville Independent LIght Infantry will be part of the celebrations for the Bicentennial of the Marquis de Lafayette's return to Fayetteville. Photo courtesy of the Lafayette Society)

CFRT's new production is a world of pure imagination

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Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Written by Kathleen Ramsey

Hold your breath.
Make a wish.
Count to three.
Enter into a world of pure imagination.
This is the world that the folks at Cape Fear Regional Theatre create — one that will bring imagination and magic onto the stage with a little boy, his grandpa Joe and the chocolate factory. And of course, it must include the zany, possibly half-insane, chocolate maker with his iconic blonde curls and candy inventions that only exist in kids’ wildest dreams.
In just a couple of weeks, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory will hit the stage at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. This production, like some of the others done by Cape Fear Regional Theatre with many children in the show, will include two casts of child actors — an Oompa and a Loompa cast. This means that the show officially has two Charlie Buckets — Cameron Lewis and Noé Cangas.
The boys jump on a quick video call to discuss their character — a quick step out in the middle of their studies to discuss their passion.
“I used to read the book all the time,” Cangas says smiling.
For Cangas, this role has quickly become one of his favorites. Charlie is a kid, he says, who keeps things light despite having a relatively sad life. Lewis shares this love and take on Charlie.
“I’m so excited. It’s the first Broadway show I ever saw,” Lewis says. “... Charlie is a difficult character. He's very hard to play."
The two boys are traveling more than an hour to rehearsal after school and will alternate nights to play their roles. They both said they find that time is helpful in getting homework done. They also find the time in between scenes during rehearsal. While the kids alternate for the shows, the adult actors in the show will remain the same throughout the entire run of the production. Working with them, Lewis says, is one of the best parts of playing in a production like this.
“It’s so fun doing scenes with them,” he says. “They are professional, and they’ve been doing so much stuff.”
For Lewis, this includes Joshua Morgan, who plays Willy Wonka and who is also a dead ringer for the blonde, curly-haired, zany Wonka that Gene Wilder brought to life on the big screen. When he took the role, Morgan said he started by asking himself, “Who is Wonka?”
“It’s Wonka, right?” he said. “It has its own cultural and creative backing.”
Morgan and Marc De La Concha, the show's director and Education Director at Cape Fear Regional Theatre, had many conversations about the characterization of the iconic character. Morgan said they talked about what defines Wonka.
“We were most attracted by what Gene Wilder did,” he said.
When asked about how the scenes are going and how that character has developed in the rehearsals so far, Morgan, in a true Wonka-like voice and energy, laughs.
“It’s still the beginning!”
De La Concha, a bright personality unto himself, smiles at this and nods. He says there’s so much learning along the way for him and the cast and their new space.
“It’s about bringing the magic into that space,” De La Concha says. “We also have a really good company of actors that make that magic.”
Among those actors is Steve McCoy, who plays the lovable Grandpa Joe. Even outside of his wardrobe and rehearsals, McCoy wears a large smile across his face. He has a bright energy about him.
“I love this guy,” he exclaims. “I know him so well.”
And that he does. He portrayed Grandpa Joe for three years on a traveling production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Like the character he is playing, McCoy seems to always have a positive spin on things.
“The play is about imagination and integrity and honesty and just being a really good person,” he says. “If you are a good person with integrity, something wonderful is going to happen to you.”
McCoy says he loves performing with the child actors in this production. The two Charlie Buckets, he says, bring “an incredible aspect” to their characters. And as far as his character goes, McCoy says, he just has to think and embody his own father.
“He reminds me of my dad now,” McCoy laughs. “The way he speaks — gruff and off the cuff but ends it with a really nice thing.”
Using his imagination for the character doesn’t hurt either, he admits. Although the book is catering to children’s imaginations, the show, McCoy says, is for ages 9 to 99.
“Everyone finds something they love about it,” Ashley Owen, Marketing Director for Cape Fear Regional Theatre, agrees.
The production will include around 24 songs in total including all of those from the Gene Wilder version of the movie as well as others. Each character will have a song to tell the audience who they are before they get to the factory. There are 31 actors in total in the show including each youth cast which has seven kids each.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will run from Jan. 30 to Feb. 23 at Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s temporary space at 1707 Owen Drive. Tickets will range from $19 to $37 to include some “bedtime friendly” shows, a military appreciation night and teacher appreciation night. For more information visit www.cfrt.org.

(Photo: Cameron Lewis, left, and Noé Cangas play Charlie Bucket, the main character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The kids rotate shows throughout the run of the production. Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Regional Theatre)

Little Land: Big Play at Crown encourages children's play

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Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Written by Katie Herring

On Feb. 15 at the Crown Expo Center, The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County will host Little Land: Big Play for Families. The event is free and open to families of all ages. It begins at 10 a.m. and the first 300 kids through the door will receive a free superhero cape. Little Land is a chance for families to have an opportunity for the kids to be kids, while the parents learn about resources and services available in our community. The target audience is families with kids under 5 years old, but kids of all ages are welcome to come and play.
What is Little Land?
In March of 2020, the Partnership for Children set out to create an event for families to play and learn; to connect with resources in the local community, as well as allow kids to be kids. To that end, they hosted the first Little Land event. On that Saturday, over 1100 people came to the Crown Expo Center to play. Shortly after that, the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, a repeat event was not feasible until 2023. In spring of that year, more than 1100 kids and their adults came out to play. In 2024, the number topped 1500. Not only was the turn-out great, but the response indicated a resounding success as well: 93% of those surveyed said they would come again.
What to expect?
When families arrive at this year’s Little Land, they will be able to walk a red carpet, and the first 300 kids will receive a free superhero cape. Once inside, let the play commence! Kids can play at Jumbo Land, an inflatable obstacle course; there will even be tot-sized Jumbo Land for the smaller tots. There will be Safety Land, where kids can meet real-life police officers and firefighters while their parents have the chance to learn about car seat installation, bike helmets, and other safety concerns; they will even be conducting car seat checks to ensure proper installation.
There will be booths for various agencies, services, and resources so families know what is available to them in the community. Most booths will have free, hands-on activities for kids and families. The Fayetteville Pickleball Club will have a court for people to play and learn about the game of pickleball.
New this year is Sensory Land: a separate space, sponsored by Caring Hearts Behavioral Services. This will be a quieter place for kids with sensory sensitivities, or anyone who just needs a little break from the noise and activity of the main play area. There will be hands-on activities, story time with the Cumberland County Library, and other sensory-friendly recreation.
Also new this year is the NC Zoo. Representatives from the zoo will be on hand with information about the zoo and to answer questions about animals. There may even be an animal ambassador from the zoo at the event.
There may be some cost associated with certain activities, and there will be food for sale, but most will be free for all those attending. According to Sharon Moyer, Community Engagement Administrator, it will be feasible for families to attend the event, participate fully, and leave without having spent any money.
What is CCPFC?
Cumberland County’s Partnership for Children is an agency that serves families with children from birth until 5 years old.
“Our priorities are to provide services and supports that Advance the Well‑being of Children, Strengthen the Early Care Early Education System, and Empower Families.” (from https://ccpfc.org/about-pfc/) The services they provide and resources they connect to are abundant and focus primarily on child and parent wellness, safety, and Kindergarten readiness. Just some of the organizations they partner with include: Dolly Parton’s Imagination library; which provides registered children with one free book per month from birth until they turn 5; Fayetteville Technical Community College and their Parents for Higher Ed program-which helps parents overcome barriers to achieving a college degree; and Head Start-a program in North Carolina which provides free pre-K schooling to eligible children. The organization can connect parents with services ranging from postpartum mental health and nursing support to car seat safety, to finding childcare.
Moyer said, “If we don’t offer the service, we can help connect you with someone who does.”
As the old saying goes: it takes a village to raise a child; the CCPFC can help you find the members of your village.
The Little Land: Big Play for Families event is an opportunity for kids to have fun, play, learn, and just be kids, while their parents play with them but also learn about important, helpful resources they may not otherwise be aware of. While admission and most activities are free of charge for all attendees, there will be opportunities to donate to the organization; all money raised at the event will directly support the services of CCPFC.
Would you like to help make Little Land 2025 a success? CCPFC is still looking for volunteers. Reach out to 910-867-9700 for more information and to volunteer at the event.