Bill Thomas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of New York Phiharmonic, speaks at a press conference for "Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China" In New York, Jan. 16, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The top of the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan, New York, will shine in red and gold on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27 in a salute to the Chinese Lunar New Year that starts on Jan. 28.

Chinese Consul General Zhang Qiyue, and John B. Kessler, president and chief operating officer of the Empire State Realty Trust, will launch the lighting ceremony on Jan. 26, announced Shirley Young, chair of the U.S.-China Cultural Institute and co-organizer of the "Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China," at a news briefing held at China's Consulate General in New York.

The Empire State Building will be lit in red and gold at sunset on Jan. 26-27 and change every 60 seconds until the next morning, adding a touch of Chinese Festival color to the New York skyline.

The lights show ushers in a series of China-related cultural events, co-hosted by the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and the U.S.-China Cultural Institute, to mark the Year of Rooster, in which the auspicious connotation of light and hope is infused.

"The series of cross-cultural events will serve as a handy window for Chinese and American people to appreciate and better understand each other's culture and traditions," Young said.

Wow-worthy Chinese New Year Fireworks designed by CAFA will begin at 8:30 p.m. (0130 GMT on Jan. 27) over the Hudson River on Jan. 26.

Divided into four thematic and emotional chapters -- "Wintertime," "A Hundred Birds," "Spring Returns" and "Phoenix," the fireworks display integrates the traditional Chinese philosophy which is the harmonious development of nature, objects, and civilization, with the flow of natural seasons and the images of "A Hundred Birds" and "Phoenix."

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra will hold its Chinese New Year Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 (0030 GMT, on Feb. 1) at the David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, drawing to a close for the nine days' celebration.

Meanwhile, four themed exhibitions will go on display in New York Institute of Interior Design (Jan. 23-29) and the Metropolitan Pavilion (Jan. 26-29), including "Abstract Art in Dialogue," "Image of the Mind: Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition," "Cross-Cultural Dialogue: China-America Young Artists Exhibition" and "Cross-Cultural Dialogue: China-America Art Students Exhibition."

New York state has added the Spring Festival to the list of public holidays since 2014.