Lunar New Year Events

Happy New Year! OK, Happy Lunar New Year! In the Chinese calendar, the longest chronological record in history dating back to 2600 B.C., this year marks the lunar year 4,706 -- Year of the Rat. The first day of the new lunar year is February 7, 2008.

Here are some local events celebrating the Lunar New Year in San Mateo, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties.

Silicon Valley/Santa Clara County:

• Lunar New Year Blessing and Dedication Ceremony. Zen ceremony in Chinese and English followed by a vegetarian lunch. 9:30am - 12:30pm, February 3rd. Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale, 750 E. Arques Avenue, Sunnyvale. Free. 408-733-0750. www.ctzen.org/sunnyvale

• Vietnamese Spring Festival and Parade. Festival will include Vietnamese arts and crafts, live performances, martial arts demonstrations, children's games and rides, talent show and food booths. 11:00am - 6:00pm, February 10th. 180 Park Avenue. San Jose parade: Market Street between St. John and San Carlos Streets. Free. 408-202-2672. http://www.vsfsanjose.com/

• Lunar New Year Celebration. Traditional crafts, displays, martial arts demonstrations, music and dance performances and food tasting. 10:00am - 5:00pm, February 16th and Noon to 5:00pm, February 17th. Children's Discovery Museum, Woz Way and Auzerais Street, San Jose. Free. 408-298-5437, extension 204. www.cdm.org/p/viewPage.asp?mlid=4 .

San Mateo/San Mateo County:

• Challenge School Chinese New Year Performance. 6:30 to 8:00pm, February 7th, Bayside Performing Arts Center, 2025 Kehoe Avenue, San Mateo. $10 per adult. 650-574-6878. http://www.masterworks.org/ .

San Francisco:

San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade began in 1860 and was named by the IFEA to be one of the top ten parades in the world! It is also one of the remaining night illuminated parades left in the country.

• 2008 Chinese New Year Parade. Saturday, February 23rd. 5:30 pm.

The Chinese Calendar names each year after an animal and legend has it that a person born under a certain animal will display traits of that animal. I was born in the year of the Tiger. What sign are you in the Chinese 12-year calendar cycle?

Rat: 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008

Ox: 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009

Tiger: 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010

Rabbit: 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011

Dragon: 1928 1940 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012

Snake: 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013

Horse: 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014

Ram: 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015

Monkey: 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016

Rooster: 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017

Dog: 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018

Boar: 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019

Gung Hey Fat Choy! Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!

Thanks for reading!