Photo courtesy of International House Philadelphia.

This year on the Chinese calendar is the year of the Monkey. It starts on February 8, and there will be celebrations around the city this weekend and on Monday.

Families are invited to the following events:

• International House Philadelphia (3701 Chestnut St.) is hosting a celebration tonight (Friday, Feb. 5), beginning at 7 p.m. There will be traditional musical and dance performances and a sampling of delicious traditional Chinese cuisine. The program includes:

7:00 p.m. – Traditional food tasting and vendors in Galleria
7:45 p.m. – Show featuring traditional dance, song, lion dance, and more begins in Ibrahim Theater

Tickets are $12 (general public); $8 (IHP members and alumni); $5 (children 12 and under). No tickets are required for children small enough to sit on your lap. 

Click here to purchase tickets.

• Every first Sunday of the month, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) offers Pay What You Wish admission, and on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 events include an Asian New Year Festival:

You can celebrate the Year of the Monkey with a performance by Dance China NY, a Chinese lantern art activity, calligraphy demonstrations, and tours focused on East Asian art. Here’s the schedule:

10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. – Balcony Studio
11:00 a.m.-2:00 pm. – Meet the Artists
11:00 a.m., noon, 1:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. – Pop-Up Mini Tours
11:30 and 1:30 p.m. – Dance China NY

For more information, click here.

• The Walnut Street West Library (corner of 40th and Walnut) is inviting families this Monday (Feb. 8), from 5-6 p.m., to celebrate the holiday with Penn Lion dancers in dragon costume and firecracker sounds from bubble wrap stomping! The event is organized by the Friends of Walnut St. West Library.