HOUSTON, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- A grand Spring Festival gala was staged in Houston, the fourth largest city of the United States, Friday night for local Chinese and Americans to join the Lunar New Year celebrations.

Performed by local artists and art lovers, the gala featured dancing, Peking Opera, traditional Chinese music and popular Chinese and American songs. More than 1,000 people watched the "2019 Embracing Spring" evening show.

For the first time performing in a Chinese evening show, American vocal performer Dorceal Duckens sang the well-known Chinese song "Jasmine Flower," drawing cheers and applause from the audience.

He told Xinhua that he was invited by his Chinese students to perform in the Lunar New Year celebrations and it "felt great" to be welcomed by the Chinese community.

The show was presented by the Houston Chinese Civic Center and co-organized by Chinese Consulate General in Houston and other Chinese communities in Houston.

Sending a congratulation letter to the evening show, U.S. Congressman Pete Olson said the gala "exemplifies the Chinese Civic Center's dedication to promoting U.S.-Sino relations while serving the Chinese community in Texas."