by Danny Tsai
Danny at the welcome table with a breakdown of all the different stations for guests to explore. Photo by Kevin McGarry.
The Santa Barbara Public Library (SBPL) and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) broke new ground with a co-sponsored event to commemorate this year’s Chinese New Year, which began on February 5th. The outcome of this partnership was a free public event that took place in the Faulkner Gallery at the Central Library. Chinese New Year, also referred to as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is renowned as today’s largest annual human migration in the world with over three billion trips expected to be made during the entire season. 2019 is the “Year of the Pig” and people with this zodiac symbol are characterized as realistic, energetic, and hard working. To learn more about the Pig Chinese Zodiac, you can click here1.
Kathi Brewster sharing the lesser-known history of Santa Barbara’s local Chinatown to visitors. Photo by Kevin McGarry.
We welcomed over 100 visitors to a lively atmosphere filled with candy, music, cheerful laughter, and the sound of Mahjong tiles being shuffled. Volunteers educated visitors about the Santa Barbara’s Old and New Chinatown, the Chinese Zodiac (and the Year of the Pig), Chinese geography, and Mahjong. Other stations focused on teaching people how to use chopsticks, fold dumplings, write calligraphy, and create dragon puppets.
A girl making a dragon puppet at one of the arts and crafts tables. Photo by Chi Tsai.
One of our most dedicated volunteers, Kathi Brewster, did an outstanding job speaking with guests about the history of the once prominent Chinatown on East Canon Perdido St. She was equipped with captivating photos and stories to share. SBTHP also had a display up in the main hall of the Public Library for the month of February, which showcased photographs and artifacts from the Chinatown that existed in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Danny Tsai is the director of programs at the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation.