Lunar New Year is this weekend. Here are some celebrations around town as well as a few other events.
Lunar New Year at SeaWorld
SeaWorld is again offering a family-friendly Lunar New Year celebration at the park. There will be Chinese acrobat show, lion dances as well as wonderful sights, sounds, tastes and aromas of Asia.
Also to celebrate the Year of the Dog, the event features a Puppy Garden where visitors can cuddle, take photos with puppies and learn about adopting from local shelters.
Lunar New Year at SeaWorld goes through Feb. 25 on select dates. The event is free with admission to the park.
Sixth Annual 5K Paw Walk in the Garden
Once a year, the San Diego Botanic Garden allows dogs onto to its garden. The Sixth Annual 5K Paw Walk is a partnership between the garden and the Rancho Coast Humane Society to raise funds for both organizations.
Participants, and their pups, follow a 5K walk through the garden that winds through areas that feature California native plants and plants from Australia, the Canary Islands and Hawaii. There will be pet products samples as well as food (for people) and treats (for the dogs).
The 5K Paw Walk starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and goes to 11 a.m. Tickets range from $14 to $32 for individuals and $60 to $138 for groups.
San Diego Tet Festival
Celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year with the 13th annual San Diego Tet Festival in Mira Mesa.
The event, which is the biggest Lunar New Year celebration in San Diego, will ring in the Year of the Dog.
The three-day festival features live entertainment, a cultural center, plenty of food vendors and carnival rides. Visitors can also expect the Miss Vietnam San Diego pageant and the popular lion dance. New this year is the pho eating contest (Saturday) and the dog costume contest (Sunday).
The free festival takes place at the Mira Mesa Community Park from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
San Diego Jewish Film Festival
Showcasing the best in Jewish cinema, the 28th annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival ends this Sunday. The festival is presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture.
The films are screened at five locations throughout the county: Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18, The LOT La Jolla, the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (JCC) in La Jolla, Edwards San Marcos Stadium 18, and Wavelength Brewing Company in Vista.
The movies screened include “An Israeli Love Story,” “A Bag of Marbles” and “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story,” all are either San Diego premieres or Southern California premieres.
Festival times vary. Individual screening tickets start at $15, a six-film pass is available for $72.
Randy Jones’ Run/Walk for Independence 5K
Cy Young Award winner and former San Diego Padres pitcher Randy Jones is hosting the 8th annual Randy Jones Run-Walk for Independence 5K this Saturday at Crown Point.
The event is a fundraiser for Home of Guiding Hands, an organization that helps adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Randy Jones will be in attendance to sign autographs and meet with fans. The run/walk starts at 7 a.m. Entry fee range from $35 to $40.