{"id":166123,"date":"2026-02-06T03:14:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T03:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/166123\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T03:14:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T03:14:13","slug":"february-festivities-and-other-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/166123\/","title":{"rendered":"February festivities and other updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u200b\u200b\u201cRichmond Buzz\u201d is a recurring column on changes, tidbits and other news from the Richmond. Got news? Send us tips at tips@missionlocal.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The February sunshine has burned off the fog, for now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Calls for a national strike in solidarity with Minneapolis late January brought tough decisions<\/a> upon small business owners. Now, trepidation over federal law enforcement presence in the Bay Area looms ahead of the Super Bowl, despite the Mayor\u2019s assurances<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But this month also has in store a handful of lighter-hearted festivities. Here\u2019s what\u2019s going on in the Richmond District.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The Lunar New Year is nearly upon us, and festivities are taking shape from the Excelsior<\/a> to the Richmond. Along the outer Balboa corridor, The Richmond Neighborhood Center has organized \u201cSuper Horse, Super Hope,\u201d its third annual parade and night market set for Saturday, Feb. 7, from 3 to 8:30 p.m. The free-to-attend festivities began thanks to Sarah Li, the organization\u2019s neighborhood resource coordinator, who hails from mainland China.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Sarah came on board with The Richmond Neighborhood Center, there had been no Westside, large-scale Lunar New Year celebration, to our knowledge, ever,\u201d said Yves Xavier, their community programs director. \u201cAnd so Sarah saw this cultural gap.\u201d<\/p>\n

That gap became evident, Xavier said, when lines wrapped around the block at the Richmond Neighborhood Center\u2019s campus for their first Lunar New Year event in 2024. <\/p>\n

This year, the celebration will span five blocks (from 35th Ave. to 40th Ave.), each with its own theme. Booths will include more than 100 vendors and community organizations, and Xavier is expecting the turnout to exceed last year\u2019s headcount of some 5,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019ll be senior activities, family activities,\u201d Xavier said, and plenty of entertainment for \u201canybody else that loves being out a little later.\u201d <\/p>\n

As for the parades \u2014 one beginning at 3 p.m., and another at 5 p.m. \u2014 expect lion dancers and more than 30 other groups to usher in the year of the horse. They\u2019ll be marshaled by popular Chinese internet personality Zhou Baobao, also called the \u201cHanfu Lady,\u201d<\/a> who\u2019s known for dressing in traditional Chinese styles.<\/p>\n

As for Li, she\u2019s excited to bring in the new year with family and friends, and said that dumplings, which signify good luck, are in order.<\/p>\n

\"AThe Balboa Theater will project SB LX live, for free. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

The day following \u201cSuper Horse, Super Hope\u201d is, not coincidentally, the Super Bowl. Those looking for an alternative to the sports-bar watch party may venture to the Balboa Theater at 3630 Balboa St. for free admission to see SB LX live on the silver screen. (Stay long enough after and you may catch a glimpse of infamous director Tommy Wiseau in person.)<\/p>\n

Flatscreen-lined watering holes like Steins and The Richmond Republic are also sure to have the game on.\u00a0Otherwise, check out where else we recommend going around<\/a> and totally outside of<\/a> Super Bowl week.<\/p>\n

\"PosterThe Plough and Stars this month will host the Hillbilly Robot music series, now in its 11th year. <\/p>\n

Irish pub The Plough and Stars at 116 Clement St. will host live music every weekend this month with the \u201cHillbilly Robot\u201d series, advertised as \u201can urban Americana music event.\u201d This year marks the 11th annual installment of the event by promoter Shelby Ash<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"NighttimePasta Supply Co. will host \u201cGoth Prom\u201d on Feb. 13 and 14. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

In lieu of typical Valentine\u2019s Day gushiness, Pasta Supply Co. at 236 Clement St. will host its third-annual Goth Prom night. Diners with a preference for gloom (and New Wave music) can head to the restaurant on Feb 13 and 14. A sign outside the restaurant advertised black pasta dishes, opportunities to \u201cshred your ex\u201d (by which they mean a photo), free gothic makeovers and more.<\/p>\n

Those closer to Pasta Supply\u2019s Mission District location at 3233 22nd St. can also find the same Goth Prom festivities there.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"StreetThe Blarney Stone will host \u201cGothic Valentines\u201d on Feb 15. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

If two nights of goth Valentine\u2019s weren\u2019t enough, the Blarney Stone at 5625 Geary Blvd. will (by some miracle) also be hosting a \u201cGothic Valentines\u201d party on Sunday, Feb. 15. That\u2019s right: you could, in theory, spend all three nights of Valentine\u2019s Day weekend at goth parties. Posters outside of the Blarney Stone directed the curious to this<\/a> Instagram page.<\/p>\n

\"APaul Robertson says he\u2019s prepared for Valentine\u2019s Day. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

For the more traditionally minded, we spoke with Paul Robertson of the eponymous floral design studio at 14 Clement St. He said he\u2019s more than ready for Valentine\u2019s Day chaos, and will have plenty of arrangements of local flowers to pick from.<\/p>\n

In other, less festive business news: it appears that two Vietnamese Pho restaurants in the outer Richmond have closed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"StorefrontPho Huong Viet closed, but is set to reopen in March. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

Pho Huong Viet at 5733 Geary Blvd is taking a month-long hiatus and will reopen March 5, according to a sign out front.<\/p>\n

\"GlassPho Kim Son appears closed indefinitely. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

Pho Kim Son at 3614 Balboa St appears to have closed without any apparent timeline to reopen. A sign out front reads \u201cClosed for maintenance \u2014 Sorry.\u201d Local patrons have affixed drawings and pleas to reopen to the restaurant\u2019s front door.<\/p>\n

\"StreetBreadbelly is now officially open 7 days a week. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

Breadbelly on Clement Street was open Tuesday, marking its first week open seven days a week. (It was previously, like many businesses in the neighborhood, open every day except Tuesday.) One employee there predicted it should be a smooth adjustment.<\/p>\n

\"TwoPosters on the door at Everbank on Geary Blvd detail closures at the location. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

Last month, we reported that Everbank made its presence known on the Geary Boulevard corridor, having taken over Sterling Bank and Trust and rebranding its locations across town. <\/p>\n

Now, following those renovations, the outer Richmond branch of Everbank is closing up at 5498 Geary Blvd. on Feb. 27. It\u2019s moving to a bigger space just a few blocks west, at 6001 Geary Blvd. \u2014 formerly a branch of the (now shuttered) First Republic Bank \u2014 opening March 2, according to a sign out front.<\/p>\n

\"AHamburger Haven on Feb 3 2026. Photo by Nicholas David.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, harrowing videos following a fire at Mel\u2019s Drive-In on Lombard Street circulated online. While that location is closed until further notice, 3355 Geary Blvd. remains in operation (okay, technically just a few blocks east of the Richmond!). <\/p>\n

And perhaps now is as good a time as any to remind ourselves that Clement Street\u2019s Hamburger Haven began as an offshoot<\/a> of the early Mel\u2019s enterprise.<\/p>\n

So there\u2019s the Buzz. <\/p>\n

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