Home to 2 million Asian-Americans, the Bay Area can enjoy the lunar New Year with a wide variety of beliefs and traditions which include Vietnamese, Tibetan and South-East Asian celebrations.
Many of the celebrations are rooted in Buddhist beliefs, a spirit of sharing, a hope for abundance and prayers for peace. The Year of the Dragon's celebrations were kicked off with the first rain of the year - a good sign as it means abundance.
San Francisco's Asian Art Museum will be celebrating the lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon with students of the Chinese American International School (CAIS), The students will be presenting Chinese classical music and dances from Chinese ethnic minorities, ending with a playful lion dance.
The lion dance is an important part of every New Year celebration and is believed to scare away evil spirits and ensure a bright new beginning.
Visitors can hunt for dragons on an Art Explorers' family tour, listen to dragon stories, create a dragon puppet or paint a dragon netsuke designed by artist Natsusaka Shinichiro.
Better yet, it's a free day at the museum (sponsored by Target).
Sunday, Feb 5th, 11 AM - 4 PM.
Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA
http://www.asianart.org
The Oakland Museum of California is no slouch in the celebrations department either.
Their 11th annual Lunar New Year Celebration and Other Asian Traditions: Year of the Dragon features a full afternoon of celebration, festivities, performances, demonstrations, and workshops that include elements of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Tibetan, and other Asian cultures.
Treat the whole family to a fun, fortune-filled family event to welcome The Year of the Dragon.
The celebration gets off to a roaring start with a lion dance. The day is filled with music and dance; performances by the Red Panda Acrobats and Cambodian rapper RJ Sin; magicians and Japanese mochi pounding; storytelling; Chinese-opera face painting; a demonstration of making a Tibetan prayer flag (and the chance to make one to take home); hands-on family activities; demonstrations of Asian cooking; a reading and book signing by Oliver Chin of his new book Year of the Dragon.
There is so much more, including a special presentation celebrating Fred Korematsu Day (January 30), with a film screening and talk by his daughter Karen Korematsu. The day ends with a rousing Dragon dance through the Museum grounds!
Sunday, January 29, 2010. 12 PM - 4:30 PM
Oakland Museum of California | 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA
Lunar New Year Calendar
A selection of the many Bay Area celebrations.
Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Year Bazaar
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Ninth and Franklin streets, and Pacific Renaissance Plaza, 988 Franklin St.
Details: www.oaklandchinatownchamber.org
Vietnamese Hoi Tet Festival of Northern California
11 a.m. Saturday, continuing Sunday, Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Road, San Jose
Details: www.hoitetfairgrounds.org
Oakland Asian Cultural Center's Lunar New Year Celebration
11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 4, Oakland Asian Cultural Center, second floor, 388 Ninth St.
Details: www.oacc.cc
San Francisco Chinese
New Year Parade
6 p.m. Feb. 11, Market, Geary, Post and Kearny streets
Details:
www.chineseparade.com
Comments