2024

2025 CANWA Chinese New Year Gala

Time flies! 2024 is almost behind us, and 2025 is quickly approaching, bringing the excitement of the traditional Chinese New Year. The CANWA board members held a meeting on November 9 to kick-start preparations for this major annual event. From performance rehearsals and food planning to volunteer recruitment and training, venue decorations, gala ticket sales, and membership enrollments, we’re working hard to make this celebration unforgettable.

This year, we’re introducing some exciting technological updates! Physical gala tickets and membership cards are being replaced with digital versions for added convenience. When you purchase tickets for our New Year Gala through our website, you’ll receive QR code e-tickets via email, which you can scan at the venue for entry. Similarly, when you purchase a 2025 CANWA membership, you’ll receive a digital membership card via email.

The 2025 CANWA membership and Chinese New Year Gala ticket purchase forms will be available on our website after Mid-December. Please check back. We’re also happy to announce that we’ve removed the online transaction convenience fee (we’ll cover this fee for PayPal), so you’ll pay the same price whether you choose to purchase online or offline. We encourage you to take advantage of the convenience of online purchases.

We look forward to celebrating the Year of the Snake with you! 

All advertisements and promotional activities at the New Year Gala are exclusively supported by sponsors. 

Board meeting on preparations of 2025 Chinese New Year Gala

Board meeting on preparations of 2025 Chinese New Year Gala

Board meeting on preparations of 2025 Chinese New Year Gala

Board meeting on preparations of 2025 Chinese New Year Gala

CANWA Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration on Sept. 7, 2024

The Mid-Autumn Festival, organized by the Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas, was a resounding success, filled with vibrant celebrations and delightful experiences. Attendees were treated to a feast of traditional delicacies, including mooncakes, savory authentic Chinese food, and aromatic teas, showcasing the rich flavors of Chinese cuisine. The event also featured a series of captivating performances, from graceful traditional dance and lively music to American Line Dance, which delighted guests and highlighted the cultural heritage of the festival. The warm, festive atmosphere brought together the community in a joyous celebration of unity, tradition, and the harvest season. 

08/17/2024 Mid-Autumn Festival Preparation CANWA Board Meeting 

08/17/2024 Mid-Autumn Festival Preparation CANWA Board Meeting 

Visiting NWA Children's Shelter on July 20, 2024

The Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas organized an event at a local children's shelter where they engaged with the kids by teaching them how to make dumplings, a traditional Chinese culinary art. Additionally, they performed Chinese traditional dances, providing cultural enrichment and interaction for the children at the shelter. This event likely aimed to introduce Chinese culture in a hands-on and interactive way, fostering community engagement and cross-cultural understanding. 

CANWA Dragon Boat Festival

Jun 15, 2024

The Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas orchestrated a joyful gathering and celebration for the Dragon Boat Festival. Held at the Charlie and Willie George park. Attendees relished authentic traditional Chinese delicacies like zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), BBQ, and a variety of other Chinese food. The festive atmosphere fostered camaraderie and community spirit, showcased Chinese heritage, creating lasting memories for all who attended. 

Anyone interested in the Legend of Dragon Boat Festival, you may click HERE.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

May 17, 2024

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in northwest Arkansas is a vibrant celebration of the diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander communities to the region. 

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month serves as a platform to recognize the resilience, creativity, and cultural diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in northwest Arkansas, while also promoting dialogue, collaboration, and cross-cultural exchange. It's a time to celebrate heritage, honor the past, and embrace the future together. 

CANWA Board member meeting on 3/9/24

Attendees: Cathy Luo, Jianghong Qian, Sue Mong, Jiali Li, Mrs Vuong, Clark Liu

The meeting facilitated constructive discussions on various topics, such as upcoming events layout, improvement on future events, financial management, community engagement etc. The collaborative efforts of the board underscored a commitment to advancing the association's mission of promoting Chinese culture and fostering cross-cultural understanding within the Northwest Arkansas community.

Upcoming Events:  06/15/24: Dragon Boat Festival;09/07/24: Mid-Autumn Festival;02/01/25: Spring Festival Gala

2024 CANWA Spring Festival Gala

The drums resound, echoing and reverberating, as dragons soar and tigers leap, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new. The Spring Festival Gala has been successfully held and concluded. Thanks to all the volunteers, performers, sponsors, audience, and board members. Everyone gathered joyfully to celebrate this moment, meeting old friends, and making new ones is truly a joyful thing. The most distinctive feature of the gala is, of course, the Chinese flavor. Our food exudes the essence of China, and the performances are full of Chinese charm: the 24-styles of the Qianlong fan, the dance of lady Chang'an, the Yue opera "Chasing Fish," Yangge dance, and the children's dragon dance, along with ballet and piano performances loved by all. The three main features are as follows: new – the actors have rehearsed new performances; extraordinary – the dragon dance is particularly outstanding; beautiful – many props and costumes are used to convey the most beautiful blessings to everyone. Your strong support give us the motivation and confidence, make the Gala so wonderful. Thank you for your ongoing trust and support. Let's make a promise: see you again at next year's Spring Festival Gala!