HOUSTON, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A series of Spring Festival activities took place here at Asia Society Texas Center on Saturday afternoon, with local Americans and Chinese joining each other to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The celebrations featured a rich variety of Chinese art and craft, including Chinese calligraphy, handkerchief and umbrella dance, paper cutting and pig-mask making, which were enjoyed by children and their families.

Local art group Huaxing presented a collection of Chinese music and dance, ranging from modern ballet and classic folk dances to Chinese Kung Fu and sand painting.

"I love it. It's so fascinating," said Maria Sanchez, who brought her granddaughter to volunteer in the activities, part of a series of China-themed programs at Asia Society Texas Center.

"It's really marvelous. Like every culture, it's important to know about what Chinese culture is, just to be familiar with all the beautiful things that are there," she told Xinhua.

Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution with major centers and public buildings around the world. It is an educational organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context.