Happy New Year! OK, Happy Lunar New Year! In the Chinese calendar, the longest chronological record in history dating back to 2700 B.C., this year marks the lunar year 4715 -- Year of the Rooster. The first day of the lunar year is January 28, 2017. For the Tet Vietnamese New Year it will be the same, Year of the Rooster!
Famous people born in the Year of the Rooster include: Dolly Parton, Benjamin Franklin, Katherine Hepburn, Joan Rivers, Steve Martin, Rudyard Kipling, Enrico Caruso, Prince Phillip, Yoko Ono
Here are selected local events celebrating the Lunar New Year in San Francisco and Alameda counties.
San Francisco/San Francisco's Chinatown:
Sunday, January 29, 10:30am-4:00pm, watch performers from the Chinese American International School, China Dance School and see a lion dance. Asian Art Museum, 200 Larkin Street, 415-581-3500, www.asianart.org.
Saturday, February 4, 10:00am-4:00pm - 24th Annual Basketball Jamboree, Betty Ann Ong Recreational Center, 1199 Mason Street, San Francisco. More information: email hoopsterlee@gmail.com
Saturday, February 4, 7:30pm - Miss Chinatown USA Pageant, Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon Street @ Bay, San Francisco (www.chineseparade.com). Admission fee
Saturday, February 11, 6:00-8:00pm, Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade http://www.chineseparade.com Free
History: 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 few remaining night illuminated parades in the country. The parade and festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia! Since 1958 the parade has been organized and directed by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
More Information: Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, Market and Second Streets to Kearney and Jackson. Check out "Gum Lung", the 168-foot-long Golden Dragon! (www.chineseparade.com/) Can't be there? Watch or DVR it on KTVU Fox Channel 2 or KTSF Channel 26 (Chinese broadcast) on Saturday, February 11 from 6:00-8:00pm.
Sunday, February 19, 8:00am start, registration begins at 7:00am, 39th Annual Chinese Chamber of Commerce; Chinatown YMCA 10K/5K Run/Walk, Chinatown/Sacramento and Grant www.sfchinatownrun.org or 415-576-9622
This event comprises a 10K or 5K run or walk and raises funds for the YMCA's youth and teen programs. The event expects 1,700 participants and 250 volunteers.
Alameda County:
Sunday, February 5, 10:00am-1:00pm, Parade and Performance, Albany Twin Theatre, 11115 Solano Avenue, Albany, 510-527-5358. Free
Sunday, February 12, 12:00 Noon-4:30pm, Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, 510-318-8459. Admission fee.
More Than A Hundred Years of the Chinese (Lunar) Calendar (1912 to 2031) --
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? Look up in the table below what year you were born and the corresponding animal.
Rat: 1912 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008 2020
Ox: 1913 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009 2021
Tiger: 1914 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010 2022
Rabbit: 1915 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011 2023
Dragon: 1916 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012 2024
Snake: 1917 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013 2025
Horse: 1918 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014 2026
Ram: 1919 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015 2027
Monkey: 1920 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016 2028
Rooster: 1921 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017 2029
Dog: 1922 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018 2030
Boar: 1923 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019 2031
Gung Hey Fat Choy! Chuc Mung Nam Moi! Happy Year of the Rooster!
