On September 12, in the early autumn season, the third Chinese Arts and Cultural Renaissance Festival was lively held in the Otisville Veterans Memorial Park in upstate New York. From traditional arts and culinary culture to clothing from various dynasties and Tang-style architecture displays, the event provided the local community with an opportunity to immerse themselves in Chinese traditional culture and gain an understanding of its profound significance.
“We are hosting this event to showcase every aspect of traditional Chinese culture. By taking a stroll around here, you will gain a correct understanding of Chinese culture and its people,” said Mela Wu, the organizer and chairperson of the Hope Mountain Chinese Association. The event aimed to serve the local community by offering them the chance to taste authentic Chinese cuisine, enjoy traditional cultural performances, observe calligraphy, tea ceremonies, and participate in various family-friendly activities.
“Here, regardless of your skin color or background, all you see are beautiful moments that leave behind smiles. It’s a wonderful memory to cherish, especially benefiting children, teaching them how to interact harmoniously with others from a young age.”
Regarding the annual significance of hosting the Chinese Arts and Cultural Renaissance Festival, Mela noted, “Because traditional Chinese culture needs to be passed down and promoted, this event plays a multifaceted role.”
“To uphold tradition is crucial because we believe that humanity’s hope can be found in our traditions, and from these traditions we can discover the precious values of the Chinese people. This is also the greatest contribution we can offer to American society,” Mela added. “The core values in Chinese tradition such as kindness, compassion, benevolence, and filial piety are the cultural classics that Chinese people have cherished for generations.”
Otisville Village Mayor Brian Carey mentioned, “Today’s event seems very busy… It’s great to see so many people attending. It’s a good thing to have people come out to experience food, culture, and dance.”
Carey invited people to join the event through the official Otisville Village Facebook page, stating, “Events like these don’t happen often, so I hope everyone can have a wonderful time here.”
Hope Mountain Town Mayor Paul Rickard commented, “This is a fantastic event, the weather is perfect, and it seems like a lot of people, from all ethnicities, in the community have joined. The parking lot is full, and the streets are lined with vehicles; the turnout is quite impressive.”
The event featured traditional dances, classical music, ethnic instrument performances, operatic singing, and displays of ancient costumes, allowing attendees to appreciate the beauty of traditional arts up close.