The Chinese New Year celebration is one of grandest and most extravagant celebrations of the world. Whoever witnesses the grand parade in the Spring Festival that is organized on the first fortnight of the Chinese calendar, can never forget the visually stunning appeal of the show. As the Chinese people are the largest population in this world, therefore, in many countries all over the world, they have some or the other ways of celebrating this special event.
San Francisco, in the state of California in the United States of America, is one of the most popular cities of U.S.A. where the Chinese community has a very large population. Their Chinese New Year celebration is worth witnessing at least for once in the lifetime. It is a unique celebration that brings together all the people of the community, regardless of their economic and social standards.
CNY parade
The San Francisco Chinese New Year is known for the parade that the community organizes every year during this Spring Festival. It is so stunning that the spectator cannot leave the parade premises until it is over. From extremely colorful costumes and props that they use during the street performances, to the amazing traditional lion dance and dragon dance that they arrange during the parade, the Chinese New Year parade is extraordinary and unparalleled.
With happy faces all around the streets and the string of a right number of fireworks, work as the cherry on top. The Chinese New Parade first started in San Francisco, in the year 1858. Now it is the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside the Asian territory. The celebration includes Flower Fair and the Chinatown Community Street Fair. The Chinatown Chinese New Year celebration parade of San Francisco offers extremely huge and ferocious lion and dragon costumes accompanied by the dance shows.
The parade starts from the Market Street and ends at the Chinatown of San Francisco. It covers the old route of the Grant Avenue and Kearny Street. This year, on the 15th of February, the Southwest Airlines has organised a grand parade from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. A 268’ long Golden Dragon will be carried by 100 men and women in the parade, which is one of the main attractions of the parade. There are also other shows that will be taking place throughout January, at various destinations like San Francisco Public Library, County Fair Building, Asian Art Museum and many other places that include cooking classes, lion dance, book reading and many other events.
Accommodation on CNY
Staying near the Chinatown in San Francisco is a very good option to encounter the grand parade. Staying at the Orchard Grand Hotel on 466 Bush Street or at the Grant Plaza Hotel on 465 Grant Avenue, Chinatown, San Francisco will not only add another dimension to your trip, but also take you to the seventh heaven of grandeur and luxury. If you haven’t witnessed a great Chinese New Year parade then this is the right time to visit San Francisco.