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Best Ways To Celebrate Lunar New Year In Sacramento

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(credit: Thinkstock)

For people from all over the world, the last day of January 2014 marks the start of a new year. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries, including China, Vietnam and Japan. Based on a lunisolar calendar rather than a Western one, the new lunar year begins on a different date each year. Traditionally celebrated over a two-week period, events have a focus on happiness, longevity and the family, with reunions, special foods, fireworks and symbolic colors and activities being part of the fun. According to the lunar calendar, 2014 is the Year of the Horse; people born on designated Horse years are said to be talented, witty, perceptive and good with their hands. There are many ways to enjoy Lunar New Year festivities in Sacramento, no matter which calendar you observe.

2014 Vietnamese Tet Festival
Vietnamese American Community of Sacramento (VACOS)
Outdoor Festival and Parade
7660 Stockton Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95823
www.vacos.org

Date: Feb. 8-9, 2013

Hosted by the Vietnamese American Community of Sacramento, 2014 marks the eighth year of the Sacramento celebration for Tết, the Vietnamese New Year. More than 800 people are expected to attend the dinner and concert at Happy Garden, which helps raise funds for VACOS. The festival on February 8 and 9 is a free event, featuring a carnival, food and product vendors, a wellness fair and music and dance performances.

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Mei Mei Noodle Factory
1715 10th St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 448-2938

Food is an important part of Lunar New Year celebrations, with certain ingredients having symbolic significance. For example, noodles are good luck and eating them during the holiday period will bring longevity. The popular Mei Mei Factory makes and sells fresh noodles, and is known for very low prices and excellent quality products.

Asian Food Center
1301 Broadway
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 448-4397

This market carries a large selection of authentic items that can be used during the holiday. Some foods, like roast duck, are also available hot and ready to eat. Shoppers can find ingredients for holiday foods such as jai, a vegetarian dish made with sea moss, Chinese black mushrooms and lotus seed. Celebrations may also include a tray with snack items such as coconut, kumquats and red melon seeds.

Sacramento Public Library
828 I St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 264-2700
www.saclibrary.org

The public library carries a large selection of books and videos with interesting information about Lunar New Year, many of them for children. Pull out your library card to borrow books like those listed below.

"The Tet Pole," by Tran Quoc, is a children's book telling the classic lore of Tet, when Buddha helps the people of Vietnam defeat evil forces that have taken over their land. The Tet Lunar New Year festival is a celebration of that victory.

"Chinese New Year Crafts," by Karen E. Bledsoe, gives directions for kids to use commonly found items to make crafts such as signs of the Chinese zodiac and a dragon puppet with streamers.

"Red Eggs and Dragon Boats; Celebrating Chinese Festivals," by Carol Stepanchuk, is for young children and highlights Chinese New Year festivities and other celebrations on the lunar calendar.

"Chinatown" is a video travelogue, hosted by Lavinia Tan, Justine Shapiro and Megan McCormick, and highlights Chinatown areas all over the world. It also shows how Chinese New Year is celebrated in other countries.

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Valerie Heimerich is a freelance writer out of Sacramento. She typically covers animals and community issues. She has volunteered and worked for many organizations helping animals and people.
Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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