Happy New Year! Today marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year! The primary focus at this time is to ensure good luck, pay respects to ancestors, gods and spirits, and to wish good fortune for friends and family in the coming year. Have your kids wish a Happy Chinese New Year and good fortune to their friends, family and teachers.

This year marks the birthday Year of the Rat for people born in 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 & 2008.  People born on the Year of the Rat are leaders, pioneers and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. A rat's natural charm and sharp demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone, but rats are usually highly exclusive and selective when choosing friends and so often have only a few very close friends whom they trust. They are energetic and versatile and can usually find their way around obstacles, and adapt to various environments easily. Read more about the Zodiac Rat here.

San Francisco has become the city with the best and biggest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia. The Parade that is put on each year is the one of the few remaining night illuminated parades in the country...so bundle up the kids! That weekend also hosts the Chinese New Year Street Fair on Saturday and Sunday all day around Chinatown.

• San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade & Street Fair
  Saturday, February 23 & Sunday, February 24.
  Click here for times and more information.

For a more child-friendly celebration, come to the Bay Area Discovery Museum's Chinese New Year Festival on Monday, February 18 (President's Day). We will have a Dragon Lion Dance in Festival Plaza and fun arts and crafts in our Art Studios.

Click here for information on our Chinese New Year.

This entry was posted on February 07, 2008 and is filed under Jaisette Herrera.
Tagged: festival
You can leave a response.