Youngstown Symphany hosts Chinese New Year Festival

Photo

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR: Preparing for the Chinese New Year Festival set for Saturday at the DeYor Performing Arts Center are Youngstown Symphony Organization committee members Rose D’Eramo, left, Christine Sung, Lynn Doyle Pebworth, Florence Wang and Maria Latorre, posing with garments that will be modeled during the reception.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Chinese New Year Festival and Gala hosted by the Youngstown Symphony Organization will take place at 5 p.m. Saturday at DeYor Performing Arts Center, 260 W Federal St.

The gala will begin with a reception in the grand lobby with musical artists playing ancient Chinese stringed instruments and demonstrating the arts of paper cutting and calligraphy. Guests will enjoy pot stickers, spring rolls, Szechuan-style boneless pork ribs, shrimp toast and poached lingcod which will be carved table-side.

Guests will then be escorted to the stage of Powers Auditorium for a Chinese-inspired dinner of skewered prawns and beef filet. There will be a live auction during the dinner including prizes such as a weekend trip to Chautauqua, N.Y., a performance by Aretha Franklin, a dinner for eight prepared by Dr. Y.T. Chiu at Overture Restaurant of the DeYor Center, and a collection of Chinese artifacts.

Gala patrons will then move to Ford Family Recital Hall for an 8 p.m. performance by the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Reservations can be made by calling the symphony office at 330-744-4269.

Tickets for the dance performance start at $35 and are available online at www.youngstownsymphony.com or at the DeYor box office, 330-744-0264.

Proceeds from the event will go to the education and community outreach programs sponsored by YSO.