By Khalida Sarwari
There won’t be any monkey business going on at Hakone Gardens on Feb. 28, but it will be the best spot in Saratoga to ring in the Year of the Monkey.
Throughout the Hakone Foundation’s four-hour Lunar New Year Festival, attendees will have an opportunity to get their faces painted by members of the Saratoga Youth Commission, chow down on dim sum, buy orchids and watch Chinese musical and martial arts performances.
The festivities kick off at 11 a.m. and include a double-lion dance by the Far East Dragon Lion Dance Association at 12:30 p.m., a calligraphy demonstration by the Lanting Calligraphy Club and Huafeng Calligraphy Art Association and traditional Chinese dance, arts and games. The Saratoga Tai Chi Group and Northwest YMCA Group will lead a tai chi demonstration, and the Silicon Valley Dance Academy will put on a dance performance.
But it’s the lion dance that promises to be one of the most exciting parts of the program, said Emily Lo, vice mayor of Saratoga and a member of the organizing committee for the event. She described the dance as one that symbolizes the warding off of evil. Attendees will be handed red envelopes filled with cash–a symbol of good luck–to give to the lions. They’re also welcome to bring their own.
“The lions will go around greeting the children, and then they have opportunities for photo sessions,” she said. “Also, people will give red packets to the lions. That’s what we do to welcome good luck.”
Because the children’s costume parade was so successful last year, organizers are bringing it back for an encore and inviting kids under 13 to showcase their festive new year’s costumes. In return, participants will go home with a souvenir gift. The parade is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m.
Typically a 15-day holiday, Chinese New Year officially kicked off on Feb. 8. According to Chinese astrology, each year is associated with an animal sign, occurring in a 12-year cycle. This is the Year of the Monkey, an animal that the Chinese commonly perceive as smart and powerful.
It appears inclement weather kept people away from the event last year, said Lo. She’s hoping this year’s program will draw significantly more than the 250 that turned out for the year of the Ram.
“I think this time, if weather permits, we will expect at least 300 or over,” she said.
In addition to celebrating cultural diversity, the event, now in its eighth year, helps to build a community spirit in and around Saratoga, said Lo. The best part is that it can be enjoyed by small kids, seniors and everyone in between.
“This event has been growing over the years, and it has become an established event,” she said. “It has grown in popularity and in scale. We really want to make this a very family-oriented event and one that is cross-generational.”
The festival is open to the public and free with the entrance fee to Hakone Gardens. The entrance fee is $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors and free for children under 5. Members are also admitted for free and are welcome to bring one guest.
Transportation to the event via a shuttle bus will be provided at 14460 Big Basin Way in front of the Chamber of Commerce. Guests are encouraged to take a shuttle or carpool as parking at Hakone is limited and costs $20.
Hakone’s Lunar New Year Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2100 Big Basin Way. For more information, visit hakone.com/lunar-new-year-festival.html.
