A Recap of UCO’s Lunar New Year Festival

The Asian American Student Association marked its 25th anniversary at the University of Central Oklahoma during its Lunar New Year Festival, welcoming attendees for a night of celebration, performances, and local vendors.

The festival included a diverse mix of performances across multiple styles through dance, music, and martial arts. 

Performers included:

•  Share & Grow Dancing Moms– A group of mothers who share their love of dance. For this performance, they even FaceTimed their moms in China, so family back home could watch them perform.
• Hydra Dance Team– A dance group of four students who traveled all the way from Stillwater, Oklahoma State University, to participate in the festival. 
• KAPWA- Dedicated to Filipino American culture, combining traditional and contemporary movements to present an informed performance 
• LYT– Consists of three dancers who all met through UCO’s Miss Asian Pageant. The group has been performing together for four years and also teaches K-pop dance classes once a month in the Edmond community.
• UCO Martial Arts Club– The UCO Martial Arts Club showcased Korean martial arts forms and performed a live Taekwondo point match. 
• Dear Daisy- Dear Daisy is an Oklahoma-based girl group that creates both their own music and choreography. Their performance highlighted creativity, energy, and artistic expression, captivating the audience. 

Anne Nguyen, a performer with Dear Daisy, expressed appreciation for the festival and the welcoming environment. 

“This was a great event, and everyone here is so nice,” Nguyen said.

• ORA– ORA is an all-female dance group made up entirely of UCO students. 
• GQ Lion Dance– GQ Lion has been showcasing Asian culture since 1997. The group performs traditional routines in handmade costumes, blending energetic movements with aerobics and lively instruments to create a dynamic and engaging performance.

Attendees were able to visit food vendors, including:

• Happy Lemon
• An An Bakeshop
• Melange Bakery

Which offered a variety of refreshments and baked goods.

A special guest vendor, Quill Hawk Publishing, also participated in the festival. The independent company supports writers in self-publishing their work through a personalized, consultative process, allowing authors to retain full rights and royalties. QHP works with fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books.

An attendant at the festival, Keyndall, shared their thoughts on the event. 

“I thought the event was very exciting and informative. I loved the way they danced, and it felt very inclusive.” 

As the Asian American Association celebrates 25 years at UCO, the Lunar New Year Festival continues to provide a space for creativity, connection, and community celebration. Stay up to date on future events and activities hosted by the Asian American Student Association.