This weekend there was more than one reason to monkey around on Penn's campus.
Hundreds packed into the first floor lobby of International House on Friday night to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Monkey, which officially began on Thursday of last week.
The International House's third annual Chinese New Year celebration boasted several performances, a huge buffet of Chinese food and a movie.
International House Housing Office Manager Deborah Bodner said she "was very pleased with the turnout."
As people waited in a winding buffet line for food, an hourlong performance of song and dance that celebrated Chinese culture began on a small stage in the lobby.
A group of middle school students from the Holy Redeemer School in Philadelphia began the performance with an umbrella dance.
Holy Redeemer student and performer Lisa Gan said they had been practicing the dance "for many years."
Following the opening acts, two other middle school students stormed in wearing a colorful and intricate dragon costume and danced to the rhythm of a drum.
The show continued on as two more groups danced in elaborate costumes. Truly spanning all ages, the performers ranged from the preschool-aged Mei Mei dancers to the college-aged Jade River Dancers, all based in Philadelphia.
College senior Joanna Bajgier, who came to watch her Sigma Kappa sorority sister perform as part of the Jade River Dancers, said she "loved" the performance. "They were so adorable," she added.
Audience members watched the show sitting on colorful tables decorated with confetti and streamers spilling onto the brown-tiled floor. All munched on food donated from numerous Chinatown restaurants.
Stephen Chang, a Penn Architecture graduate student who heard about the event through a resident of International House, was one of many who had to wait for a second order of food to be delivered. Despite the run on food, Chang said he was "enjoying the event."
Bodner recognized the popularity of the food and stated that "this wouldn't be possible without the restaurants from Chinatown."
The show finished off with Penn's Chinese a cappella group PennYo! singing a number of songs.
Following the performances and dinner, the International House screened Happy Times, a film directed by Zhang Yimou.
"We picked a comedy this year to make it a little light," said Renae Dinerman, director of programs at International House.
Due to the continuing success of the event, Bodner said that she has every intention of holding a fourth annual celebration next January, claiming they get "bigger and better each year."
