Asian New Year event draws youngsters to museum

There is nothing Penny Holbrook enjoys more at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada than celebrating different cultures - especially Asian New Year.

Gung Hay Fat Choy, welcome to the year of the rabbit, which kicked off Saturday at the museum, continues today with arts and crafts, dragon head puppets, Chinese lanterns, calligraphy, Chinese jump rope, origami demonstrations on how to use chopsticks and lots of entertainment.

Special performances are scheduled at 10:30 a.m. with a Lion Dance Ceremony and at 1 p.m. with the Little Swan Dancers from Reno.

"What I like best is promoting other cultures. The year of the rabbit started Feb. 3, and it's my year," said Holbrook, a volunteer who serves on the museum board. "We try to promote as many cultures as we can throughout the year here at the museum."

Another volunteer, Carole Tashman, said she has volunteered for a number of years and has enjoyed seeing the event grow.

"I like helping the kids with little craft projects. Every year, there is more here than there was the year before - it's just great to see it grow," Tashman said.

Leslie Marshall of Reno brought her twin 4-year-old daughters Maggie and Sophie just to visit the museum for the day, and got a bonus when she learned it was Asian New Year.

"I brought my teens here when they were little, but we haven't been here for 10 years so I brought my younger kids. We just lucked out that it was Chinese New Year," Marshall said. "They're really liking all the crafts."

Maggie, who was busily decorating a dragon mask/puppet, said she had special plans for her project.

"When I get home, I'm going to go behind a chair and stick it out until my mom says, 'Who's that dragon in our house?'" Maggie said.

Asian New Year continues from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada, 813 N. Carson St. For more information, call 884-2226.