The Bay Area HongKonger Community Center, together with the Honorary Mayor of Fremont, Gary Sojka, and City Planning Commissioner Benjamin Yee, jointly organized a Lunar New Year celebration event at the Fremont Hub on February 15th (last Sunday), attracting a large number of people to participate and creating a lively atmosphere.
The event featured over 50 booths offering various goods and services, as well as performances such as lion and dragon dances, kung fu demonstrations, music, and singing, showcasing a diverse range of cultural programs. In addition to stage performances, organizations like Music for Minors, San Francisco Bay University, and several Hong Kong community groups set up displays, including handicrafts and painting exhibitions, making the event rich and diverse. The organizers noted that around 70% of the attendees were of Chinese descent, while the remaining 30% represented Indian, White, African American, and other ethnic groups, reflecting the community’s diversity and integration.
Mr. Alex Woo, representing the Bay Area HongKonger Community Center, stated that this year’s event was larger in scale compared to previous years, with a wide variety of booth offerings that attracted people of different ethnic backgrounds to join in the festivities. The venue was adorned with numerous Lunar New Year decorations and traditional performances such as lion and dragon dances, aiming to create a festive atmosphere in the community and allow more people to experience the holiday spirit.
He mentioned that the criteria for exhibitors were simple – showcasing unique products and incorporating elements of the Lunar New Year culture. With a venue size of approximately 30,000 square feet this year, larger and grander than the previous year held at the university, the organizers plan to continue promoting community engagement and cultural exchange by organizing similar events in the future.
Several elected officials from Fremont also showed their support at the event, including Mayor Raj Salwan, Vice Mayor Yajing Zhang, Council Members Yang Shao, Raymond Liu, and Kathy Kimberlin.
Mayor Gary Sojka expressed his delight in collaborating with the Hong Kong community to host a free Lunar New Year celebration event, allowing community members to enjoy traditional cultural performances like lion dances and singing while providing more exposure for local businesses and retail centers. He mentioned his upbringing in the United States, where he had limited exposure to such festivities during his childhood, making it meaningful for him to promote related activities that foster cultural cohesion through the community center, enhancing understanding and care among residents.
As Fremont’s first female Chinese-American Mayor, he also hopes to inspire more young generations to engage in public service, setting an example for the next generation, and extends New Year greetings to the readers.
Principal Shanling Shan of the Love Soars Chinese School stated that the school participated in the event booths for the first time this year, introducing the Taiwan Chinese Language Learning Center (TCML) and school curriculum while providing photo opportunities and commemorative costumes for attendees to capture festive memories. Love Soars brought three performance programs that day, including a chorus of “Happy New Year” by TCML students and teachers, a dance performance led by a dance teacher with children, and a dance performance by adult learners from collaborating institutions. She expressed her joy in continuing to participate in community activities in Fremont and maintaining cooperation with the local government and former mayors to promote cultural exchange.
Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano was also invited to attend. She mentioned that the event booths were diverse, not only offering various goods for sale but also hosting workshops designed to improve students’ reading and writing abilities, along with live instrument performances by students, making the overall event exciting and meaningful, while extending her Lunar New Year wishes to all.
David, a participant, shared that it was his first time joining such a New Year event, and the large crowds and lively atmosphere made him very excited. He believed that the opportunity for Chinese people to come together during the New Year was rare and special, allowing everyone, regardless of their origins, to eat, drink, enjoy performances, and share festive moments together. He particularly praised the spectacular martial arts performances at the event, recognizing the cultural significance of these programs in passing down traditions, providing young people with the chance to engage and learn about Chinese traditional culture, which he found to be truly valuable.