Each year a growing community of friends and newcomers that we call "the Gecko Family" gather on the shores of a tropical paradise to celebrate the joy of life and friendship! Musicians, artists, poets, dancers, and partiers alike join together to express themselves in honor of the Chinese New Year.

YOU ARE HEREBY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE!

The 8th Annual Chinese New Year Reunion, CHNY2k8, is a spectacular concert event that will happen on February 7th, in and around Negril, Jamaica!. All proceeds will benefit DeepBlueRipple International, Inc. - Music and art education for the children of Jamaica through travel, philanthropy, and fun. The Gecko Family will be hosting a multitude of concerts, parties, brunches and dinners throughout Bob Marley's birthday week in Negril February 2nd thru 9th. Event schedule and music line-up coming very soon!

For details, visit our website at: www.chny.org

Who We Are

We're a community that comes together every year on Chinese New Year to share in laughter, thought, and memory-making in a tropical setting. We not only put on the most over-the-top celebration/vacation, we also provide books and other educational materials to the Jamaican schoolchildren in the communities we visit.

Our History

This is our seventh year! Our first two Gecko Family Reunions were held in Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. This will be our 5th year in Jamaica!

The Nature of Our Experience in Jamaica

The "Chinese New Year Celebration is the focus of our travels in Jamaica. For our gathering, we rent a pristine 900-acre property just outside of Negril, on a gorgeous, private, white-sand beach. Each year we build a stage right on the water's edge. Musicians can't play anywhere closer to the bright blue Caribbean without getting soaked! We build a Dragon and go on parade with fire dancers, drummers, and musicians leading the way! It is a communal, multicultural event. Local musicians, artists, and poets often perform with our invited talents from the States and elsewhere. We build and decorate a bar in the jungle. We invite our favorite locals to join us. Some bring their music, some bring their dance, some bring their crafts to vend, and some just come for the experience.

Aside from the Chinese New Year celebration we gather daily for several other fun cross-cultural events and excursions. Some are planned, but many are spontaneous. Our connection to the community in Negril allows us to show you a side of Jamaica not likely seen by conventional tourists. The neighborhood usually hosts "Yard Parties" for us in the real Jamaica way. This is where we really mesh with the Irie and festive culture Jamaica is famous for. Plan on being in Jamaica for a few days before and few days after the Chinese New Year celebration.

http://tribes.tribe.net/chny