Raleigh, NC — The Triangle Area Chinese American Society (TACAS) and the U.S. Postal Service will highlight TACAS’ 31st anniversary with a special dedication of the new Lunar New Year stamp during the Chinese New Year Festival on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The Festival takes place at the State Fairgrounds, Exposition Center in Raleigh Saturday, 10 am – 7 pm, and the dedication event will take place at 10:05 am. Cary Postmaster John Thompson will help kick off the celebration by presenting the Celebrating Lunar New Year: Year of the Tiger commemorative 12-stamp sheet. It’s the third in the Postal Service’s 12-year Celebrating Lunar New Year series. All 40 million 44-cent First-Class stamps are now available in Post Offices nationwide and online at www.usps.com/shop.

This year’s Festival includes stage performances, an open talent competition, exhibits for all ages, and a 30-year timeline marking Chinese Americans’ contributions to the Triangle area. Six hundred performers and volunteers bring this festival to life for more than 5000 attendees. Some performances include youth dragon dancing troupes, tai chi and martial arts, Chinese drum clubs, choruses and folk dancers, and authentic regional foods from China, along with cooking lessons. Chinese New Year officially begins February 14, 2010, and is being held early at the Fairgrounds to accommodate the large level of interest. For information on the Festival, please contact Cindy Yu-Robinson at (919) 625-1207. For info on the Lunar New Year stamp, contact Carl Walton at (336) 668-1257.

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