The year 2008 marks the 30th anniversary Stockton 's Chinese New Year Festival , hosted by the Chinese Cultural Society of Stockton (CCSS) at the Civic Memorial Auditorium. This event is highly anticipated in the community as it brings a Chinese cultural experience-art, crafts, instrumental music, dance, literature, food and more--to local residents without the need to travel out of the area or to exotic locales.  

Entertainment highlights for the festival on Sunday, March 2, celebrating the Year of the Rat 4076, includes the Yau Kung Moon lion dancers, who have won first place in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival ten years running as well as more than seven gold medals in international lion dance competition; Wei Ding-Young, a kung fu martial artist and Chinese national champion in the Wu Shu style; magician Jian-Dong Zhang, known for his Sichuan King of Masks routine, who will perform other Chinese sleight-of-hand tricks; and the Happy Chef, Keming Zhia, a well-known master juggler and prestidigitator. For the first time, the Festival will present songs from Peking Opera, with opera master Baoshan Wang and his daughter, Angela Wang. Cultural dances in the Chinese tradition from local and Bay area groups will also be performed.  

Teresa Chen, whose book of recipes to cook traditional soups has been accepted for publication, is the guest chef in the Food Court for the afternoon. She will exhibit and explain various ingredients for selected soups, some of which have specific health benefits as well as nourishment as a goal.   The always popular Ho Yeh Deli hosted by the Chinese Cultural Society serving varieties of dim sum (similar to tapas or canapés) will be open again for discerning patrons eager for familiar items as well as those wanting to trying new foods. Traditional foods and jai, a special vegetarian new year dish, will be offered in the Food Court .   Festival goers can browse and shop from among several vendors offering art goods and other cultural products, get their names written in Chinese calligraphy, order a signature stamp carved in the Chinese style, and enjoy any number of cultural experiences. Children will be able to engage in Chinese crafts. Patrons of the photography booth can get photos taken of themselves in traditional Chinese dress.  

The festival begins at 10:00 a.m. , opening with a lion dance performed by the Chinese Benevolent Association of Stockton lion dance troupe,and continues until 5:00 p.m. after the drawing for door prizes. Admission to the festival is a donation of $2.00 per person. Proceeds from the festival fund several scholarships for graduating high school seniors. For further information, call 209-478-8754.