Stories That Do Little Hearts Good at Folk Art Museum

Children can make their own fanciful valentines Sunday at two local workshops. At the Craft and Folk Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., this month’s Sunday Family Night will feature storyteller Martha Stevens in an hourlong “Stories From the Heart.”

Stevens will gather families around her and share with them love stories and ballads. Her animated style encourages audience participation.

The storytelling begins at 6:30 p.m. with families arriving an hour earlier, many with picnic baskets in hand. The picnic grove is one section of the closed restaurant, which also doubles as an art workshop. The staff will have bins of art supplies, such as paper, ribbons, feathers, buttons and yarns, and the scissors and glue to fix them with. In that hour, families can also squeeze in a peek at the current exhibit, “The New Spirit in British Craft and Design.”

The workshop and storytelling is suitable for ages 4 and older. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children ages 4-12. Reservations are required: (213) 934-3082.

Sunday Open Sunday at the Junior Arts Center in Barnsdall Art Park, 4814 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, is holding its free valentine workshop at 2 p.m. in the center’s patio. Artist Bonnie Thompson will show families how to make post cards with a hearts-and-flowers theme. Reservations not necessary. Information: (213) 485-4474.

FILMS

Animated children’s films from Italy will be featured this month by the Children’s Film and Television Center of America. The 90-minute program will include “Pulcinella and the Magic Fish,” “Swimmy,” “Sandwich,” and several from the Mr. Rossi series. Recommended for children 3 and older, all the films have been dubbed into English. The program will screen today at the Rialto Theatre, 1023 Fair Oaks Blvd., South Pasadena; next Saturday at the Nuart Theater, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, and Feb. 27 at the Norris Cinema Theater, USC. All screenings begin at 11 a.m. Tickets are $3 for adults, $2 for ages 3-16, free for children 2 and younger. Information: (213) 743-8632.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Hopi Indian E. J. Satala will visit Kidspace Museum, 390 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, this weekend to talk about his life growing on a reservation. He will weave memories of his clan, the Butterfly clan, with traditional children’s stories and tales of kachinas, or spirits. Story time is 1:30 p.m. today and Sunday. There will also be a workshop in Hopi toy making, conducted by the Southwest Museum staff at the Kidspace workplace. Workshops begin at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. both days. Sign up at the front desk when you arrive. All activities are free with museum admission of $2.25. Information: (818) 449-9144.

Fifty-foot dragons, looking as much like multicolored centipedes as dragons, will segue through the streets of Chinatown late this afternoon in the Chinese New Year parade. The dragons make the biggest splash, but there will also be marching bands, local dignitaries waving from convertibles and floats. The heart of the parade is along Broadway from Sunset Boulevard to Bernard Street. The parade begins at 4 p.m. with seasoned parade-goers arriving early to claim the limited parking--and unlimited dim sum at Chinatown restaurants. New Year events continue through Sunday. Information: (213) 617-0396.

SPORTS

Tonight at 7:30, gymnasts from the universities of Nebraska, Illinois, Stanford, Arizona State, New Mexico and Minnesota will compete with UCLA gymnasts at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. This men’s invitational begins at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance ($8 adults, $6 ages 16 and younger), but seats are first come, first serve. In addition to food stands at Pauley, the Cooperage, on the A level of the Ackerman Student Union, will be open for hamburgers and other fast foods before and after the event. To reach the pavilion, take Westwood Boulevard north to Parking Structure No. 8; Pauley is directly north of structure. Information: (213) 825-2101.

Send items at least two weeks before event (Saturday and Sunday events only) to Family Spots, View Section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Phone calls will not be accepted. All items must include date, time, address, phone number and ticket price.