Chinese New Year in SF Bay Area with Kids

SAN FRANCISCO
What: Chinese New Year Parade
When: Saturday, February 19, starting at Market/2nd Street at 5:15 p.m. The parade lasts 2.5 hours
Where: Get the Chinese New Year route map here. It starts on Market/2nd, turns up Geary, right onto Powell, and right again onto Post, then left on Kearny, ending near Columbus.
For more information

What: The Year of the Rabbit Celebration
Where: Asian Art Museum in SF
When: Saturday, Feburary 5, 1-4 p.m.
Hear author Oliver Chin read The Year of the Rabbit, the newest book from his Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series. Then screen print a reusable tote bag with an image from the book or make a button with the rabbit's image.
Cost: Free with museum admission

When: Sunday, February 6 from 12-4
What: Watch the Lion Dance, performed by Chinese American International School dancers from 12-12:45. Listen to Lunar New Year stories from 1-1:45. Do hands-on activities from 1-4.
Where: Asian Art Museum in SF
Cost: Free, thanks to Target First Free Sunday program

What: Chinese Lion Dancers
When: January 22 and January 29
Where: San Francisco libraries - see schedule here
Cost: Free

For a few more ideas, including dim sum and the Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt, click here. For a list of events in San Francisco's Chinatown, click here.

PENINSULA


What: Chinese New Year Celebration
When: Sunday, February 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Foster City Recreation Center (610 Foster City Blvd.)
Cost: free
Themed "temple fair", there will be a Chinese American recreation of a traditional village street fair, with decorations, dancing, acrobatic performances, traditional tea ceremony, martial arts, crafts (try calligraphy, Chinese knot-tying, paper cutting, clay figure making, paper folding)


What: Chinese New Year Story Time
When: Wednesday, February 2 at 7 p.m.
Who: Children's author Oliver Chin will read from The Year of the Rabbit
Cost: Free
Where: Foster City library (1000 E. Hillsdale Ave., Foster City)

EAST BAY
What: Chinese New Year Celebration (traditional Chinese dance, calligraphy demonstrations, hands-on crafts,
When: Sunday, January 30 from 2-4 p.m.
Where: Castro Valley library (3600 Norbridge Ave.)
Cost: free

What: Chinese New Year Celebration (crafts, martial arts, Lion dance, music, story telling)
When: Saturday, February 12 from 1-4 p.m.
Where: Fremont library (2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont)