Dancing lions, twirling dancers, and Chinese operatic arias filled Chinatown’s Waverly Place on a sunny day last April. As part of the first semi-annual Arts in the Alley event, a wide range of cultural performances attracted thousands of local residents and tourists. The event, which was organized by the Chinatown Community Development Center, featured local artists in traditional Chinese dance, drumming, Shaolin Kung Fu, Chinese opera, lion dancing, calligraphy, and paper cutting.
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Arts in the Alley was the first of a series of cultural events aiming to bring new visitors to the neighborhood and stimulate local businesses. Mary Chang, owner of the Pot Sticker Restaurant located on the historic alleyway said, “the event on April 18 brought in many, many tourists and residents that were able to experience Waverly Place. They were able to do a lot of local dining and shopping at the stores around here.” The event brought new patrons to local businesses. Ms. Chang related that, “a lot of people came that would not have known about different stores.”
Cindy Wu, Community Planning Manager for Chinatown Community Development Center, reflected that “by incorporating more of a cultural frame to our economic development efforts, we will be able to attract more people to the neighborhood.” As San Francisco’s Chinatown serves as a cultural hub for Chinese across the Bay Area, she anticipates that the slate of upcoming cultural events will help increase the neighborhood’s draw for Asian-Americans throughout the Bay Area. Stay tuned—the next cultural event is slated for late summer or early fall.
