San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade

Our family had a fantastic time watching the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade!  Estimates put the size of the crowd at around a million spectators, which is amazing -- especially given the fact that the total population of San Francisco is estimated at around 825,000 people.

Students from many Bay Area elementary schools marched in the parade, dressed in costumes that ranged from traditional Chinese garments to horse costumes.  We were particularly impressed by the kids marching in the parade on stilts from San Francisco's West Portal Elementary.

The lion dancers and dragons were a huge hit with our son (and likely with hundreds of thousands of others).

Here are a few pictures from the parade.  The lighting was not ideal for our blogging camera, but hopefully you'll find the pictures fun anyway.

We were near the end of the parade route, in the bleachers in front of the Hilton and right below the pedestrian bridge.  In this first show, you can see the end of the parade route (which was lit with enormous lights for the television cameras).

Political figures driving by in vintage cars:

Marching band approaching:

 Firefighters' tiger dancing team, led by a vintage fire truck:

 Somewhat frightening giants:

Another marching band:

Supervisor Scott Weiner:

BART bus-float:

One of many dragons:

Photos of a few of the many floats:

A dragon:

Floats:

The enormous super-dragon (which ends the parade) approaches:

The Lunar New Year Celebration is today at the Oakland Museum from 12 to 4:30, Sunday, Feb. 9th, 2014

The 13th annual Lunar New Year Celebration, The Year of the Horse is today, Sunday, February 9, 2014 from 12 to 4:30PM.  This is an event for the whole family to celebrate the Lunar New Year as the Oakland Museum rings in the Year of the Horse with an array of Asian traditions in arts, crafts, food, demonstrations, live music, dance, family activities, and more.  Performances include lion and dragon dances, plate spinning by "The Happy Chef," contortion acrobatics by Inka Siefler, a magic show by The Magic of Chin-Chin, martial arts by Vovinam America, stories by Storyteller Megumi and Oliver Chin, traditional music by Melody of China, Taiko drumming by Jiten Daiko, K-pop dance with UC Berkeley's Korean Performance Group, and Bollywood and Bhangra dance performed by Duniya Dance and Drum Company.

Resources:

The Oakland Museum of California
Oakland, CA
museumca.org

The Year of the Horse

"A World On Stage" at the Bay Area Discovery Museum

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is teaming up with World Arts West to present "A World on Stage!"  This is a great ethnic performance series:  Dance.  Music.  Folklore.  

Plus, shows are for children 6 months or up!  A great chance for babies and toddlers to see a live performance.

Shows are usually at 11 a.m.  Cost for members is $7.00.  General admission is $16.00.  Performances are at the Discovery Theater.  

Some of the upcoming shows include:

• Murphy Irish Dancers -- Saturday, Jan. 28

• Raices de Mi Tierra (celebrating Mexican cultural heritage) -- Saturday Feb. 4 

• Tehani Dance Studio (traditional and contemporary Polynesian dance) -- Saturday, Feb. 11

• Eastern European Folk Dance -- Saturday Feb. 18

• Chincese Performing Arts of America Youth Group -- Mon., Feb. 20

• Indian Folk and Tribal Dance -- Saturday Feb. 25th