Tiger time: Lunar New Year dawns on historic Chinatown
People streamed into the Los Angeles' historic Chinatown to celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, on Tuesday.
The Lunar New Year is the most important annual holiday in China and falls on Feb. 1. Each year is named after one of twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac in a repeating cycle. The Year of the Tiger follows the Year of the Ox.
Los Angeles County is the secondlargest contingent of people of Chinese descent living in the U.S., trailing only New York and just ahead of the San Francisco/Oakland area.
Many celebrations were scaled back this year amid the enduring coronavirus pandemic. Some events moved to virtual presentations, but others continued in-person, with pandemic-era safety guidelines in place.
Here are a few events coming up in the days ahead to mark Lunar New Year:
• Chinese New Year Festival at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens: includes lion dances, a mask-changing artist, martial arts demos and Chinese art, music and crafts,10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Timed tickets are required. No tickets sold at the door. Admission $29; $24 ages 65 and older and students; $13 ages 4-11 (purchase at bit.ly/3nUBK4l). The festival is held around the Chinese Garden at the Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. 626-405-2100 . huntington.org. • Lunar New Year Festival — Online: USC Pacific Asia Museum presents its festival that includes a lion dance, a dance presentation by Korean Classical Music and Dance Co., USC Kazan
Taiko and storytelling, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. Free. Register for the Zoom link in advance here: bit.ly/3IFafnj
• The Boys & Girls Clubs of West San Gabriel Valley & Eastside on Thursday will play host to their annual Lunar New Year Festival, via a drive-thru format amid the pandemic. The event will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. at the club located at 328 S. Ramona Ave. in Monterey Park. The celebration will honor the Year of the Tiger — which celebrates strength and courage — and Monterey Park's Asian community and deep heritage. It will include red envelopes, hot meals, giveaways and live entertainment such as music, dancing dragons and a lantern parade.
• Long Beach-Qingdao Association will host a calligraphy class Feb. 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Island Village Club House, across the street from 7108 Island Village Drive in Long Beach. Participants will learn how to draw their names in Chinese and the history of calligraphy. The in-person class will host 30 to 40 people with room for social distancing, but will also be held via Zoom. It's the 22nd annual Lunar New Year event hosted by the Qingdao Association. The event is free, but participants are asked to bring their own ink and calligraphy brushes which can be found at most art stores. Masks are required. To register for either in-person or Zoom class, go to https://bit. ly/3AKNviI. Call 562-477-5240 for more information.