ZIRAN at the 2025 Minnesota Lunar New Year Festival
CULTUREENGLISHRECYCLE
Grace Li
1/29/20253 min read
On January 25–26, 2025, ZIRAN was honored to be invited as one of the few exhibitors at the Minnesota Lunar New Year Festival, a beloved cultural tradition that drew over 10,000 attendees to celebrate the transition from the Year of the Dragon to the Year of the Snake. Co-hosted by the Chinese Community Center (CCC), Minnesota International Chinese School, and the Chinese American Business Association, the event transformed Asia Mall into a bustling and joyous cultural hub overflowing with music, dance, arts, games, and cuisine.
As an environmental organization committed to sustainability and community engagement, ZIRAN was proud to bring its signature “Event Recycling” program to the heart of the festival. With the help of 20 dedicated youth and adult volunteers, ZIRAN set up clearly marked sorting stations at the entrance of the Mall and guided festivalgoers in properly disposing of their recyclables, compostables, and landfill waste. Our volunteers actively engaged visitors in meaningful conversations, encouraging small but powerful habit changes, such as starting organics recycling at home or learning how to recycle correctly based on local guidelines. These exchanges helped demystify sustainability for many families and sparked curiosity about zero-waste living. Even a few business owners showed interest and wanted to learn more.
Through hands-on guidance and eye-catching signage, our team raised awareness about reducing single-use plastics and promoted a culture of mindfulness: one small action at a time!
ZIRAN was especially proud to take part in this vibrant, culture-rich celebration, where East met West on stage through a dazzling array of performancesThe program brought together artistic traditions from China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, India, Turkey, and beyond, featuring dragon and lion dances, Peking opera, K-Pop, and classical music and dance. A video greeting from Governor Tim Walz and a congratulatory letter from U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar further underscored the significance of this event as a joyful and unifying celebration for Minnesotans of all backgrounds.
The festive atmosphere was filled with laughter, lanterns, and the aroma of dumplings and popcorn, but what made it even more special was seeing sustainability woven into the celebration. Thank you to the organizers and partners for including ZIRAN in this vibrant tradition. We look forward to continuing to spread our message of "Every Little Action Counts" in 2025 and beyond!
