La Cañada Flintridge Library will host a free Lunar New Year celebration for children on Feb. 11, part of a system-wide effort by Los Angeles County Library to mark the Year of the Horse despite fiscal constraints facing the county.
The one-hour program, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., will teach children ages five to 12 about holiday traditions and the animals of the zodiac while they craft their own horses. The library is one of multiple branches—including Charter Oak, Diamond Bar, and West Covina—hosting similar celebrations throughout February.
The celebrations come as Los Angeles County grapples with what Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport has called “uncharted territory” in budget pressures. The county’s $47.9 billion budget faces over $1 billion in wildfire recovery costs, a tentative $4 billion settlement of childhood sexual assault claims, and potential federal funding losses.
Most departments were required to reduce spending by three percent, eliminating 310 vacant positions countywide. However, LA County Library’s approximately $195 million operating budget maintained no targeted reductions to services.
Skye Patrick, County Librarian and CEO since 2016, oversees 86 libraries serving 3.4 million residents. She recently received a $350,000 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for equity work. Patrick is the first African American director of LA County Library.
The 2026 Lunar New Year marks the Year of the Fire Horse. The last Fire Horse year was 1966.
Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse will run on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 3:30-4:30 p.m. La Cañada Flintridge Library, Meeting Room, 4545 N. Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. For more information, call (818) 790-3330 or visit https://visit.lacountylibrary.org/event/15564954.
