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    A Weekend of Lunar New Year Festivities: Remembering Local Chinese American History | Local News

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    Santa Barbara will usher in the Year of the Snake with a weekend full of activities, performances, history and art.

    On Friday and Saturday, Chinatown Remembered: A Celebration of Santa Barbara’s Chinatown will be at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

    The event is being produced by the Santa Barbara Asian American/Pacific Islander Solidarity Network and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.

    On Sunday, the Santa Barbara Chinese School and the Santa Barbara Public Library will host a Lunar New Year Family Festival at the Michael Towbes Library Plaza from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

    Both of these free, family-friendly events are an effort to engage the community by highlighting Chinese American cultural heritage.

    This year marks the anniversary of the 1925 earthquake that devastated Santa Barbara’s Chinatown a century ago.

    Karena Jew, organizer for the Santa Barbara Asian American/Pacific Islander Solidarity Network, said hosting Chinatown Remembered now holds a special significance.

    “My hope is that the community will see this event as a conversation starter, as a chance to uncover the history of Santa Barbara’s Chinatown,” Jew said.

    The centerpiece of the events is an immersive projection installation that will project images on El Presidio that represent the places and faces of Chinatown, both past and present. (Courtesy photo)

    The centerpiece of the events is an immersive projection installation showcasing the art, culture and stories of Chinatown’s community. The images, projected directly on El Presidio, will represent the places and faces of Chinatown, both past and present. 

    “The stories we’re sharing are the stories of people who persisted and resisted against the gentrification affecting marginalized communities across the country. I think a lot of people in our community can relate to these stories regardless of their background,” Jew said.

    Each evening’s celebrations will open with traditional dances and martial arts performances by Camarillo Kung Fu and the Lion Dance Association, setting the stage for a rich cultural display. 

    Jew said Chinatown Remembered serves as “an opportunity for people to see the humanity in others and the humanity within themselves, especially now in a time of so much division,” reflecting the role of community organization in broader human unity.

    The celebration continues on Sunday with the Lunar New Year Family Festival. 

    Jenny Mazanec, principal of the Santa Barbara Chinese School, said this event started out as just a couple of parents trying to show their children that their “other world” isn’t so far away.

    “We want our children to be proud of this Asian American heritage they have,” Mazanec said. “Giving them and the community this opportunity to trade Chinese language material, exchange resources, share common culture and engage in conversation is a way to instill that pride.” 

    The outdoor gathering features activities such as a book exchange, lantern-making, calligraphy, shadow puppets and a library scavenger hunt — and that’s just the first hour.

    (Courtesy photo)

    The next hour will feature performances by Santa Barbara Chinese School students, UC Santa Barbara’s Jasmine Echo Chinese Folk Band, SUNS Performing Arts and the Chinese Evangelical Free Church Choir. 

    Throughout the event, attendees will have a chance to explore the library’s Faulkner Gallery, which will feature a special exhibit of historic photos showcasing the rich history of Chinese Americans in Santa Barbara, dating back to 1890.

    According to the Santa Barbara Chinese School, these photos have been in storage, catching dust for too long.

    “We’re finally bringing those images out, dusting them off, framing them and putting them on display for the community to see,” Mazanec said.

    The exhibit is made possible by UCSB’s Department of East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies and the Santa Barbara Chinese American Association.

    After the shows, visitors can enjoy food provided by Uniboil, Phresh Teas, Su’s Bowl, Kaiju and Shanghai Restaurant. 

    Free parking for Chinatown Remembered at El Presidio, 123 Canon Perdido St., is available at 117 E. Canon Perdido St. or behind Panino at 834 Santa Barbara St. For more information on Chinatown Remembered, visit sbthp.org/chinatownremembered.

    Though not mandatory, guests can RSVP for the Lunar New Year Family Festival here.

    More information on the festival is available here. The Central Library is located at 40 E. Anapamu St.

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