By Anne Finlay-Stewart

Grey Roots hosts the opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. with a little introduction to the Chinese experience in the region, followed by a unique opportunity to taste the occasion. Special New Year's foods will be on offer, along with traditional activities for good luck and prosperity for the year to come. Demonstrations of the fan dance, traditional Hung Gar martial arts and the beautiful music of the Guzengh will be presented, and hands-on crafts and games will continue until 1 o'clock, when the party moves downtown.

Beginning at 2, the Library will be entertaining children with story-telling, crafts and martial arts demonstrations. And everyone is invited to learn - definitively and without judgement - how to eat with chopsticks.

The Tom Thomson is hosting a film about Chinese New Year celebrations and a special art exhibit that includes local artists' interpretations of the "year of the goat.".

Last year's celebrations brought organizer May Ip some willing help from within the local Chinese community, among them Xiao Mei of Terney's Smoke Shop and JoJo Tang, former owner of Chef Wok. They and more than sixty others have formed the Grey Bruce Chinese Culture Community, celebrating the lunar new year with a huge family meal together. Now they are sharing the good luck of the new year with the rest of us.

Anne Finlay-Stewart is Community Editor of www.owensoundhub.org. She can be reached at [email protected].