Celebrate the Lunar New Year with the Confucius Institute of Colorado State University at the 2016 Chinese Spring Festival Gala. Enjoy musical performances by artists from China and the University of Northern Colorado that include traditional Chinese instruments like the cucurbit flute, the pipa and the zither.

The event will take place on Jan. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center. Tickets are free, and will be available after Jan. 18 to pick up in person at the Lincoln Center (417 W. Magnolia St.) or the Confucius Institute (1413 S College Ave).

In modern China, Spring Festival is the celebration of Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year. It is the most important holiday of the year – a time for family to come together in the tradition of honoring gods and ancestors. The Spring Festival is typically celebrated from New Year’s Eve (in the lunar calendar) to the 15th day of the first month of the New Year. 2016 is the Year of the Monkey, symbolizing wit, dignity and renewal.