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The year of the dragon is upon us and with that comes weekends filled with dance, music and balloon dragons during the several Lunar New Year celebrations planned in the Tri-Valley.
Lunar New Year is a time of celebration and looking forward in Asian cultures. It marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new calendar year based on the moon cycles, or lunar calendar.
On Sunday, Feb. 11 Livermore Valley Arts will be hosting its annual Lunar New Year celebration event at the Bankhead Theater.
The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the plaza outside of the theater and will feature demonstrations, performances and arts for the entire family to enjoy.
“It’s great to be part of the Tri-Valley and in the ecosystem of Lunar New Year celebrations, and also great to celebrate the local community in a very kind of different way where it’s like a blend of performance, education, youth and just an amalgamation of all of that all in one place,” Arthur Barinque told Embarcadero Media Foundation.
Barinque is an event organizer who is contracted by the Bankhead as a consultant to produce their season of multicultural festivals ranging from Lunar New Year to Juneteenth and Native American Day.
He used to work for LVA in a similar position and was actually the person to start the first Lunar New Year celebration at the Bankhead back in 2017. Though the status of his position has changed since the pandemic, his longstanding connection with the organization and his history with planning cultural events is why LVA keeps bringing him back as a contractor.
This year, Barinque said that the event will feature a Tai Chi demonstration by a father and son duo, a traditional Chinese dance performance, dragon balloon art, vendors and booths where people can make their own lanterns.
He also said he wants to really focus on youth and education this year, which is why apart from the art and entertainment aspect of the event, there will also be youth-focused nonprofits on site along with community based organizations like the Las Positas College Asian American group and the Granada High School Asian American club.
He also said there will be an East Asian art exhibit inside the theater’s gallery space, which will be free. The exhibit opens around 1 p.m.
Barinque also said that one thing that he wanted to do differently this year was introduce more of the Vietnamese culture and their Lunar New Year celebrations. He said there will be a singer with her band performing and a guest speaker who will talk about the Vietnamese American experience of Lunar New Year.
Barinque said that the Lunar New Year celebration has been very near and dear to his heart since the beginning. He said that seeing how it has grown over the years to become part of the Tri-Valley and overall Bay Area ecosystem of Lunar New Year celebrations has been great to see.
“Lunar New Year is one of our more intimate celebrations,” he said. “I feel like it’s bigger and it’s expanding … and more people are looking forward to it.”
“It’s cool to see that happen, see that grow in that way, and still hold true to the event itself as it’s very deeply rooted in the community here in Livermore,” Barinque added.
The broader ecosystem of Lunar New Year celebrations in the Tri-Valley includes a celebration taking place at Alexander Square, located at the City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon on Feb. 18 from 2-4 p.m.
The free event will feature traditional dances; performances by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese dancers; kung fu demonstrations; traditional instrumental performances; and lion dancing.
“The cultural events like Lunar New Year at City Center contribute to the vibrancy and diversity of the community and provide great opportunities for us to come together, celebrate different heritages and appreciate the various forms of art and expression,” Jeff Dodd, senior vice president of retail, said in a statement.
There is no sign-up or registration required to attend the event.
In Pleasanton, residents will also be able to see LionDanceMe, a company that puts on Lion Dance performances, inside the Stoneridge Shopping Center.
According to a press release from the center, the performance will take place on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 2-3 p.m.
“As one of the Tri-Valley’s premier shopping destinations, Stoneridge Shopping Center is proud to celebrate the diverse cultural heritage of the Asian-American community in the area,” organizers said in the press release.
The Firehouse Arts Center with the help of CityServe of the Tri-Valley, is hosting its Lunar New Year celebration at the Amador Theater. The event is set for Feb. 3 from 1-3 p.m., but according to Nick Binzoni, a representative from the city of Pleasanton, the theater at Amador Valley High School had only 370 tickets available, which have all been accounted for due to high demand.
The event will feature a lion dance from Kung Fu Dragon USA and traditional dance performances from two groups that Binzoni said were brought on by CityServe.
“This year’s performance is very special,” said Sui-Chen (Cheryl) Lin, health educator at CityServe. “It is composed of three generations. We invited two performance groups to perform together (Xin Yi Dance Team and Xiao Pei Dance Team), including traditional dances and modern dances, songs and music,” she added.
Last year, CityServe hosted its first Lunar New Year celebration at its Pleasanton office where over 80 people attended, which is why the organization decided to join forces with the city to host this year’s event at the Amador Theater, CityServe CEO Christine Beitsch-Bahmani said.
“CityServe’s Lunar New Year celebrations play a crucial role in promoting community unity,” Beitsch-Bahmani said. “These events provide an avenue for residents to come together, celebrate diverse cultures, and foster cross-cultural understanding. Highlighting these gatherings contributes to showcasing the positive impact of cultural celebrations on community integration and inclusivity.”
