Celebrating the Year of the Snake in the Bay Area!

Happy Lunar New Year! This week marked the beginning of the year of the snake, and the Bay Area is ready to celebrate.  While you wait for the world-renowned SF Chinatown parade – recently named one of the top 10 parades in the world – on Saturday, February 15, here are a few of our favorite local celebrations. 

1. SF Symphony: Join the iconic and talented SF Symphony with a concert highlighting a wide range of Asian traditions with individual and symphony performances. The concert will take place Saturday, February 8th at 4pm and 5pm. Find tickets and more information here. 

2. Chinese Historical Society of America: This Sunday. February 2nd, from 11am-4pm join the CHSA for a day of celebration and fun for all ages. The event will feature arts and crafts, lion dance performances, calligraphy demonstrations, snacks, and more! The CHSA museum, which houses much of SF Chinatown’s archives, will also be free and open to visitors. Learn more about the event here.

3. SF Botanical Gardens: Head over to Golden Gate Park this Sunday, February 2nd, from 11am-2pm for New Year fun! The event will feature calligraphy, origami, performances, and more fit for all ages! After the event, you are invited to walk through the botanical gardens, where Magnolias are just starting to bloom. The event is free, but a $5-20 donation is recommended to support the gardens. See more about the event and the different booths here.

4. La Mar, Craftsman&Wolves: The Bay Area culinary scene brings some of the most unique and exciting ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The pierside restaurant La Mar in San Francisco has an exciting Peruvian-Chinese fusion menu here to celebrate the holiday. The iconic Craftsman & Wolves bakery, with locations in the Mission and Palo Alto has developed four new Lunar New Year inspired pastries, available for pickup or delivery here.

… and much more! In ancient tradition, the year of the snake symbolizes a time for rebirth, renewal, and wisdom, and we hope these celebrations inspire fresh energy and joy for the year ahead!