Lunar New Year Celebration and Lion Dance February 27, 2010

On Saturday, February 27th, from 11am – 1pm, local students from Shaolin Cultural Center and the Gee Yung Lion Dance Association will ring in Lunar New Year by participating in a traditional Lion Dance through Downtown San Mateo. Two Lion Dance teams will snake their way through Downtown San Mateo, stopping at various businesses to perform a brief dance designed to bring good luck, fortune and prosperity to participating merchants. When the Lions have completed the dance, it’s customary to reward them with a small monetary donation to thank it for the blessing. After both Lion Dance Troupes visit select Downtown businesses, they will give a final performance at Self Help for the Elderly at 50 East 5th Avenue at 1:30 pm.

The Lion Dance is just one of the many Lunar New Year events that will be taking place in Downtown San Mateo. The day after the exciting Lion Dance performance, Sunday, February 28th from 1-4pm, Self Help for the Elderly (SHE) will participating in special event sponsored by San Mateo Public Library that features traditional musicians, crafts, Asian snacks and more. Dancers from the Shaolin Cultural Center will also perform a Lion Dance outdoor from starting at 1pm. The event is free to the public and funds raised will help support SHE and the San Mateo Public Library.

The Downtown San Mateo Lunar New Year celebration is supported by the Downtown San Mateo Association, Self-Help for the Elderly, East West Bank, New York Life Insurance and City Councilman David Lim.

Official Website: http://www.dsma.org