6 ways to celebrate Lunar New Year in Oakland

For the primary time in 60 years, Lunar New Yr belongs to the Hearth Horse, and neighborhoods in Oakland have already began the celebrations. The Lunar New Yr, which marks the primary new moon of the lunar calendar, started on February 17 and the festivities culminated in a lantern competition on March 3. The Chinese language calendar has twelve animals and 5 conventional Chinese language parts: earth, wooden, fireplace, metallic and water.

Oakland will likely be house to a wide range of New Yr’s celebrations between now and early March, from a procession with lion dance and drummers to bless companies in Laurel, to the Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Yr Parade and a Khmer New Yr’s Avenue Competition at Peralta Hacienda.

Are there every other Lunar New Yr occasions in Oakland that we missed? Ship me an electronic mail at azucena@oaklandside.org. You may also use the self-submission type on our occasions web page so as to add it to our calendar without spending a dime.

twenty fifth Annual Lunar New Yr Competition at OMCA

The Oakland Museum of California has been uplifting the Bay Space’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities for the previous 25 years. This yr’s festivities within the museum’s backyard embody a lion dance from LionDanceME, Philippine folks dances, lo-fi-hyphy sounds from Oakland artist Seiji Oda and a closing efficiency by a dragon dance staff from UC Berkeley’s Vietnamese Scholar Affiliation, to convey good luck and prosperity within the new yr. Presale tickets are bought out.
Saturday, February 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., a restricted variety of free day tickets will likely be accessible onsite, 1000 Oak St.

Lunar New Yr at Jack London Sq.

In opposition to the backdrop of Jack London’s waterfront, the occasion will function lion dancers; martial arts performances; craft actions for kids, who could make their very own cherry blossom timber; and giveaways.
Saturday, February 21, 1:00 PM to three:00 PM, free, no RSVP required, plaza close to Plank, 98 Broadway

Laurel Lunar New Yr

Sifu Shane Lacey of Fremont’s Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu Academy will lead a procession with lion dancers and drummers to convey good luck to companies alongside MacArthur Boulevard from thirty fifth Avenue to Excessive Avenue, beginning at Farmer Joe’s on the nook of thirty fifth Avenue. Following the procession, a potluck-style gathering will happen on the Taoist Middle at 3824 MacArthur Blvd. Admission to the group celebration is a donation of a non-perishable meals merchandise or a money donation to the Alameda County Group Meals Financial institution.
Saturday, February 28, 1:30 p.m., donation based mostly, Farmer Joe’s car parking zone, 3501 MacArthur Blvd.

Oakland Chinatown Lunar New Yr Parade

This yr’s widespread celebration in Oakland’s Chinatown contains dwell music from Cantonese cowl band Midnight Vanette, a particular efficiency by Mark Pelli of Canadian reggae fusion band Magic!, lion dancing, 40 native distributors and a particular space for adults to buy alcoholic drinks. The occasion will help small companies within the space. The parade route begins at Wilma Chan Park and runs alongside ninth and tenth streets.
Saturday, February 28, 10 a.m., free, Wilma Chan Park, 810 Jackson St.

4th Annual Lantern Competition in Chinatown

This yr’s occasion will embody family-friendly arts and crafts, group therapeutic actions, native distributors, an evening market with greater than 20 makers, and performances by the Khmer Amathak Dance Troupe, Megan Lowe Dances, the HUA twins (a duo consisting of efficiency artist missTANGQ and multi-instrumentalist musician Jyun Jyun) and others. This can be a masked occasion; Masks will likely be supplied on the entrance.
Sunday, March 1, 3:00 PM to eight:00 PM, free, Pacific Renaissance Plaza, 388 ninth St.

Khmer New Yr Avenue Competition at Peralta Hacienda

Over the previous 14 years Peralta Hacienda Historical Park in Fruitvale has been reworked right into a venue for an intergenerational celebration celebrating Khmer traditions, resilience and group delight. The competition retains the native Khmer group linked to their heritage by way of meals, music and dance performances. The competition begins with a particular blessing by a monk.
Saturday, April 4, 10am to 4pm, free, Peralta Hacienda Historic Park, 2465 thirty fourth Ave.