San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade
san francisco chinese new year festival parade annual event san francisco california united state held approximately two week following first day chinese new year combine element chinese lantern festival typical american parade first held along today grant avenue kearny street oldest one largest event kind outside asia one largest asian cultural event north america parade route begin market street terminates chinatown highlight parade include float lion dancer elementary school group costume marching band stilt walker chinese acrobat golden dragon observer expect hear least firecracker advised bring ear plug golden dragon one highlight parade considered grand finale parade made foshan china foot long take team men woman martial art group leungs white crane lion dragon dance association carry parade hosted san francisco chinese chamber commerce corporate sponsor included southwest airline alaska airline similar street festival autumn moon festival held annually chinatown since celebrate midautumn moon festival approximately six month new year festival parade hosted chinatown merchant association san francisco california gold rush many chinese immigrant came san francisco work gold mine railroad search wealth better life earliest recorded new year celebration great feast february first dragon dance san francisco held new year chinese community wanted share chinese culture others blended tradition favorite american tradition—the parade—and held parade flag banner lantern drum firecracker harper weekly covered celebration caucasian perspective illustration page give reader vivid idea way chinese keep newyears day san francisco year commences th february festivity continue several day great annoyance people principal diversion constant explosion firecracker bomb san francisco call noted holiday article writing nation celebrates new year greater rejoicing feasting chinese adding many white resident time united saying chinese must go find convenient invade chinatown holiday freely partake celestial hospitality go try carry everything nailed weeklong celebration included anticommunist parade theme torch liberty staged chinese six company attended crowd special police permission granted use firecracker event similarly colored anticommunist sentiment korean war group chineseamerican leader led h k wong expanded parade san francisco chinese new year festival take place february including art show street dance martial art music fashion show wong frustrated news coverage gambling arrest chinatown believed educating american significant chinese holiday would turn around bad press many celebrant come chinatown grand new year never knew chinese new year celebrated privately prior introduction chinese new year festival eliminated mystery chinese feeling people outside chinese community – wong organized chinese new year festival committee whose member included restaurateur johnny kan businessman paul louie parade led grand marshall joe wong blind korean war veteran featuring miss chinatown festival queen course dragon year marked first modern san francisco chinese new year festival intended wider public crowd watched parade celebration expanded three day festival lasted week concluded parade grant avenue celebration shortened three day parade moved afternoon could televised new dragon length city block later stated foot imported hong kong parade festival queen contest formally expanded pageant miss chinatown usa festival resumed weeklong duration including street carnival held since least carnival criticized little cultural connection chinese new year tradition wah ching attempted burn gaming booth discontinued festival parade since developed decade one grandest nighttime illuminated parade u one largest celebration asian culture outside asia although criticized presenting inauthentic stereotypic fossilized chop suey image chinese culture cost ticket pageant carnival meant relatively impoverished chinese american family could afford attend crowded parade effect excluding whose heritage festival meant celebrate parade included wedding procession attempt introduce authentic cultural content brainchild organizer david lei newly hired year san francisco convention visitor bureau become cosponsor – estimated crowd watched parade idea corporate sponsorship first broached parade unit began prominently display sponsor name local television station began broadcast parade next year carried six market across united state honolulu new york travel channel picked broadcast – year gay asian pacific alliance first gay right group participate parade presence received boisterous support naming right sold san francisco chronicle event publicized san francisco chronicle chinese new year festival parade television coverage deemphasized event connection chinatown altogether favor typical san francisco sight skyline golden gate bridge considered largest asian event north america largest general market even northern california also named one world top ten parade several decade parade organized chinatown activist rose pak died pak known outspoken comment local politician passing central grandstand jackson kearny street reported san francisco chronicle paks quip ranged humorous mean almost always pointed pertinent chinatowns interest pak barred falun gong religious movement banned china participation violating parade rule distributing leaflet group others including san francisco supervisor chris daly subsequently criticized pak allegedly enforcing chinese government citing covid pandemic parade scheduled canceled november float painted ox sculpture static display public parade returned february twoweek chinese new year festival parade sponsored southwest airline recent year includes two fair chinese new year flower fair chinatown community street fair miss chinatown usa pageant concludes parade miss chinatown usa traditionally present parade golden dragon foot long manned inside puppeteer golden dragon firecracker conclude parade group participate parade televised ktvu ktsf festival event include chinatown run childrens basketball game several san francisco community group chinatown ymca san francisco symphony asian art museum hold festivity chinatown celebrate chinese new year well approximately racer volunteer participate annual chinese new year k k run walk held chinatown ymca primary sponsor naming right chinese community health plan cchp race participant receive award goody tshirt refreshment engage family activity sponsor booth award given best dressed according year chinese zodiac proceeds support community wellness program youth teen chinatown ymcas community center physical education program route start heart chinatown grant sacramento route continues north beach return via embarcadero runner k repeat loop twice weekend chinese new year day lunar new year fair take place san franciscos chinatown vendor line street sell good including traditional flower plant fruit candy people give gift family friend use house decoration throughout street traditional chinese performance magic show acrobatics folk dancing opera great happiness symbolized fruit tangerine orange tangerine undamaged leaf symbolize secure relationship newlywed symbolizes beginning family child chinese candy box called tray togetherness harmony box sectional tray used serve bitesized treat candied melon red melon seed candied coconut lotus seed wish guest sweet new year many chinese people think important flower plant decorating home chinese new year represent growth plant bloom day chinese new year symbolize prosperity year twoday fair entertainment planned san francisco chinese chamber commerce present concession booth weekend chinese new year parade held entertainment includes folk dance opera drumming family photo giant puppet lion dance fine art demonstration calligraphy lanternmaking kitemaking people attend chinatown community street fair miss chinatown usa pageant annual pageant taking place san francisco chinese american woman compete become miss chinatown usa chinese community goodwill ambassador along winning prize scholarship miss chinatown usa crowned court caesar entertainment miss chinatown usa coronation ball dinner dance held show includes quiz question competition area beauty talent fashion title named pageant include miss chinese chamber commercefirst princess miss talent miss san francisco chinatown second princess third princess fourth princess beginning chinese chamber commerce held first local san francisco miss chinatown pageant together chinese new year festival select festival queen prior festival queen include pat kan daughter restaurateur johnny kan bernice woong carolyn lim estelle dong ruby kwong pageant became popular contest opened woman throughout usa first miss chinatown pageant held february great china theater judge included chin yang lee joseph field richard pollard mr k l kwong mr john yu sally lee thompson asian art museum asian art museum san francisco hold special event celebrate chinese new year offer family fun day include activity storytelling gallery activity art project themed year chinese zodiac animal family learn chinese symbol flower plant activity museum provides educational guide child learn lunar new year zodiac animal win prize completing guide museum lunar new year celebration event museumgoers watch school come perform chinese dance music martial art lion dance chinese story people create art project learn walk stilt learn ribbon dance california academy science california academy science host nightlife event adult regular operating hour thursday since least one thursday night festival themed lunar new year special lion dance performance jing mo athletic association took place february chinese historical society america free admission chinese historical society america offered day annual parade dragon dancing art craft activity celebrating tradition chinese new year held choy sun doe starting gold foilwrapped chocolate coin passed traditional lai see red envelope child oneday choy sun doe event celebrating arrival god wealth also included money gift certificate presidio officer club family participated making pellet drum used thousand year part traditional celebration using simple material san francisco symphony chinese new year celebration year san francisco symphony celebrates chinese new year concert davy symphony hall purchase ticket attend festival reception concert davy symphony hall reception includes entertainment craft art lion dancing calligraphy food tea bar chinese dragon dance mark beginning concert san francisco symphony present music eastern western music tradition music asian composer concert purchased dinner package attend imperial dinner held zellerbach rehearsal hall franklin street orchestra musical education program school bay area receive proceeds festival reception imperial dinner sf beer week sf beer week included dim sum beer brunch february sf chinese chamber commercesouthwest airline basketball jamboree every year sixty child three team girl three team boy san francisco middle school chinatown north beach community play six basketball game celebrate chinese new year parade climactic event held close festivity private celebration chinese new year began first dragon paraded scene parade used film flower drum song crowd estimated people watched parade modern parade started initially routed along grant avenue market chinatown although crowd starting overwhelm narrow street route changed bypass narrow portion grant detouring bush kearny community leader chinatown displeased city official forced route change avoid traffic jam potential fire hazard route updated present course includes loop around union square despite route change start finish remained market next portsmouth square kearny respectively sole exception addition bypassing grant start also moved civic center parade finish shortly passing dr rolland kathryn lowe community bridge portsmouth square chinese culture center recent year admission bridge restricted ticketed guest viewing party night parade dragon dance golden dragon gum lung gàm luhng chinese 金龍 pinyin jīn lóng jyutping gam lung highlight end parade modern parade began first new gum lung imported hong kong billed one city block foot long replaced foot dragon whose head weighed pound kg another gum lung arrived measuring foot long year smaller ft dragon imported macys parade featured two dragon first time dragon made surplus sold marysville california participated city annual bok kai parade replaced moo lung marysvilles earlier dragon loaned chinese community across united state seattle new york including two appearance san francisco new gum lung foot long used celebration usher year dragon another new ft long dragon made foshan longest date made debut year dragon smaller foot dragon also purchased stored many year donated southern oregon chinese cultural association debuted jacksonville oregon february dragon valued foot long head weighs pound kg kept motion three hour parade another new dragon introduced parade stretching foot long one hundred group take part parade judge located end parade reviewing stand kearny columbus avenue judge choose float group participant winner yau kung moon kung fu association entry parade contest straight year international school peninsula entered numerous award float academy art university artistic float award every year since cirque du soleil performed parade one hundred member martial art troupe leungs white crane dragon lion dance association carry gum lung finish parade thirtyfive member used shift reading yeh chiouling contesting identity youth rebellion san franciscos chinese new year festival cassel susie lan ed chinese america history gold mountain new millennium altamira press isbn alternate url google book san francisco chinese new year festival parade official site parade chinatown san francisco website chinatown–festivals– san francisco public library digital image collection similar folder exist – david lei talk origin san francisco chinese new year parade storycorps shit rose pak say chinese new year parade youtube