Thanks to Berkeley's Fourth Street for sponsoring this guide to Lunar New Year for Bay Area families.
As the Year of the Rat has arrived, a handful of Lunar New Year celebrations are scheduled around the Bay Area. Here are some places to take your children to celebrate the cultures of many local families. They are all so much fun and many, like those pictured here on Fourth Street, are also FREE!
Join one of Berkeley's most favorite events of the year: The Fourth Street Lunar New Year Festival in celebration of Year of the Rat! Children and parents love the FREE Lunar New Year performances on Fourth Street.
Sponsor
Sponsored by Fourth Street and the lion dancers of Kei Lun this special day includes:
noon to 3 pm Craft tables for the kids
noon to 1 pm Martial arts performances by Golden Lion Martial Arts
1:15-2 pm Original lion dance performance by the famous Kei Lun performers from San Francisco
2:15-3 pm Fourth Street shops blessing parade
Rain or shine, this authentic family-friendly celebration is exciting and highly entertaining.
More wonderful family-friendly Chinese New Year celebrations
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Lunar New Year Celebration @Fairyland
Location: Children's Fairyland – 699 Bellevue Ave Oakland
Join in a celebration of the Lunar New Year to welcome the Year of the Rat with family lore and folktales from China. 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. Puppet Show. Perez and Mondinga. Its fiesta time in Mexico! Mondinga, the cockroach, wants to marry and share her hacienda with someone…
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Cost: $12 general, free for under 1 year old & Fairyland members
Sponsor
"Into China" Gallery Opening and Open House
Location: Blackhawk Museum – 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Cir Danville
Come celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Blackhawk Museum and experience 5000 years of Chinese history in the newest gallery. The event will be held in front of the Museum, with Traditional Chinese performances taking place throughout the day. Visitors are invited to tour the new ‘Into China’…
Time: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Stoneridge Lunar New Year Celebration
Location: Stoneridge Shopping Center – 1 Stoneridge Mall Rd Pleasanton
Celebrate Lunar New Year at the center! Festivities kick off on Jan. 25 with a traditional Lion Dance, several traditional Chinese dances including waist drum dancing and more. The first 138 guests to visit Simon Guest Services will receive a special treat. On Jan. 26, shoppers are invited to a…
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Cost: FREE
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Lunar New Year Celebration @Fairyland
Location: Children's Fairyland – 699 Bellevue Ave Oakland
Join in a celebration of the Lunar New Year to welcome the Year of the Rat with family lore and folktales from China. 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. Puppet Show. Perez and Mondinga. Its fiesta time in Mexico! Mondinga, the cockroach, wants to marry and share her hacienda with someone…
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Cost: $12 general, free for under 1 year old & Fairyland members
Stoneridge Lunar New Year Celebration
Location: Stoneridge Shopping Center – 1 Stoneridge Mall Rd Pleasanton
Celebrate Lunar New Year at the center! Festivities kick off on Jan. 25 with a traditional Lion Dance, several traditional Chinese dances including waist drum dancing and more. The first 138 guests to visit Simon Guest Services will receive a special treat. On Jan. 26, shoppers are invited to a…
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Cost: FREE
Westfield San Francisco Centre Lunar New Year Celebration
Location: Westfield San Francisco Centre – 865 Market Street San Francisco
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with friends and family under the Historic Dome located on the 4th floor of Westfield SF Centre with bites, crafting, performances, and more.
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Lunar New Year Crafts
Location: Albany Library – 1247 Marin Avenue Albany
Let's ring in the Year of the Rat! Drop by and make a Lunar New Year craft. All materials provided by the library. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. Meet in Edith Stone room.
Time: 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Ah-Lan Chinese Dance Performance
Location: Central Library | Berkeley Public Library – 2090 Kittredge Berkeley
Ah-Lan Dance, based in El Cerrito, engages with the local community through performance to share the beauty, artistry, and diverse traditions of Chinese dance. Her studio offers traditional Chinese dance, ballet, modern dance, and Chinese acrobatics. The Berkeley Public Library is honored to have Ah-Lan Dance perform for Chinese New…
Time: 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Cost: Free
Lunar New Year Festival @Fourth Street
Location: Fourth Street Shops – Fourth St. and Delaware Berkeley
Join for one of the most favorite events of the year...Lunar New Year Festival in celebration of Year of the Rat! Rain or shine, this is a family-friendly, authentic, celebratory, exciting and funny event. Sponsored by Fourth Street and the lion dancers of Kei Lun this special day includes: 12-1…
Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Little Tree Montessori Chinese New Year Celebration
Location: Little Tree Montessori International School – 2603 Tassajara Ave El Cerrito
You are invited to visit El Cerrito campus and classrooms while enjoying the Chinese New Year festivities. There will be exciting and fun activities for children and parents, including Chinese Calligraphy, dumpling making, steamed sponge cake baking, culture activities, photo booth, the story of Nian, Red Envelope receiving, handkerchief dance,…
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: FREE
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Lunar New Year Celebration and Parade
Location: Albany Twin Theater – 1115 Solano Ave Albany
Celebrate the Year of the Rat with a parade and performances brought to you by Solano Avenue. There will be music, a lion dance, martial arts and more. The parade begins at noon, everyone is welcome to join (*rain cancels the sidewalk parade). 10:00 am Performance. Doors open at 09:30-09:40…
Time: 9:45 am - 1:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Lunar New Year Celebration @OACC
Location: Oakland Asian Cultural Center – 388 9th St (Suite 290) Oakland
Celebrate the Year of the Rat at OACC! OACC is celebrating the Year of the Rat with live performances and fun activities for the whole family in the heart of Oakland Chinatown. Enjoy the Youth Showcase featuring students performing guzheng (Chinese zither), various Chinese dances and more. Join interactive workshops…
Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Chinese New Year Celebration
Location: Albany Community Center – 1249 Marin Ave Albany
Sin Nian Kwai Lo (Happy New Year)! Gung Hay Fat Choy (Congratulations & Good Fortune)! For more than 16 years the Albany Recreation Department has celebrated Chinese New Year at the Community Center. Students from Cornell and Ocean View elementary schools and Sun Wei Chinese After School will present cultural…
Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Cost: FREE
Friday, February 7, 2020
Lunar New Year Family Fun Celebration
Location: Portola Family Connections – 2565 San Bruno Avenue San Francisco
Come and enjoy games, raffles, arts & crafts, fortune cookie decorating, photo booth, and a lion dance performer. * Children must be accompanied by an adult, and an adult must be accompanied by a child.
Time: 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost: Kids FREE / Adults $2
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Lunar New Year Celebration and Other Asian Traditions: Year of the Rat
Location: Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) – 1000 Oak Street Oakland
Join OMCA in celebration of the Year of the Rat with the 19th annual Lunar New Year festival, now held over two fun-filled days! Enjoy live cultural performances, demonstrations, hands-on activities, food, traditional and contemporary music and dance, storytime, a petting zoo, and much more. The tradition of Lunar New…
Time: 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: Event included with general admission: $16/Adult; $7/Youth (9-17); Free under 8
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat Celebration
Location: Asian Art Museum – 200 Larkin Street San Francisco
Welcome the Year of the Rat with dancing, art-making and storytelling at the annual Lunar New Year Celebration. This year’s celebration features readings from author Oliver Chin about the zodiac calendar and Year of the Rat characteristics — who knows, you may discover something new about yourself! Then enjoy an…
Time: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
Cost: Free with admission. $25/Adult; $20/Youth (13-17); Free for children under 12
Lunar New Year Celebration and Other Asian Traditions: Year of the Rat
Location: Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) – 1000 Oak Street Oakland
Join OMCA in celebration of the Year of the Rat with the 19th annual Lunar New Year festival, now held over two fun-filled days! Enjoy live cultural performances, demonstrations, hands-on activities, food, traditional and contemporary music and dance, storytime, a petting zoo, and much more. The tradition of Lunar New…
Time: 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: Event included with general admission: $16/Adult; $7/Youth (9-17); Free under 8
Monday, February 17, 2020
Lunar New Year Celebration @BADM
Location: Bay Area Discovery Museum – 557 McReynolds Road Sausalito
Experience the vibrant traditions of the Lunar New Year at BADM! Celebrate the magic of the Lunar New Year with a full schedule of programs, performances, food, and more! Check BADM website for a detailed list of programs and activities. All Lunar New Year programs and activities are included in…
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Cost: $15.95/Adult & Child (1-17); $13.95/Baby (6-11mo)
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Laurel Lunar New Year Celebration
Location: Laurel District – 4222 MacArthur Blvd. Oakland
Celebrate the Year of the Rat and join Laurel District businesses to welcome “a fruitful and prosperous year”. 2020 will be a year of progression and vitality celebrating the Rat who attracts success and good luck in all the spheres of life. The annual Laurel Lunar New Year Celebration highlights…
Time: 11:00 am - 4:30 pm
Cost: FREE
Thanks to Berkeley's Fourth Street for sponsoring this guide to Lunar New Year for Bay Area families.
[Photos provided by Berkeley's Fourth Street Shops and used with permission]
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