We went to the Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, March 7. The San Francisco weather was unbelievable--75 degrees and wonderfully warm, and it felt like summer. This parade, known as one of the largest Chinese New Year parades in the United States, is definitely a must-see in person. The energy is exciting and festive, and you can truly feel the vibrant spirit of the celebration all around you. There was lots to see--too many things to describe! I loved watching the lion dancers, school groups, and the many horses featured for the Year of the Fire Horse. There were also lots of sounds of firecrackers throughout the parade, traditionally used to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. A plus--MUNI was free that day, which was a nice perk. The grand finale with the massive Golden Dragon was incredible and the perfect ending to a spectacular event. Loved it! read more

This weekend was the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco. It is the year of the horse and as much as I love the lion dancers and they are always the highlight of the parade, I have to say that all the little children with their stick horses just melted my heart! One of the marching bands was also exceptionally good this year, I'm sorry I can't recall which one but the colors were purple and gold. The parade is supposed to last 2 hours but seemed to start a little early and definitely went late this year. In the last 20 years I have probably been to this parade 4 or 5 times and I have kept coming because it was always a lovely celebration. One year when my son was smaller the crowds were so intense that we ended up leaving early because he was small and we were worried about the potential for trampling. This year was much less intense but that is likely because crowds were smaller. The smoothness and coordination were also not as good as they have been in years passed and the entertainment level seemed a bit diminished as well. That being said, this is still considered the best and largest Chinese New Year parade in the United States, and in the past has been considered one of the top 10 in the world, so it is definitely worth the trip if you can make it. read more

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I have seen the Chinese New Year parade in person several times over the years and even participated in it a couple times as part of the dragon. I went to the parade last year with a friend to celebrate the Year of the Snake (my year) and we had a fabulous time. We took the ferry to the city and walked a short distance up Market Street and boom the parade was right there! We saw a bunch of lion dance groups and other people dressed up near the parade route who were getting ready which was neat to see. It took awhile for the parade to start and there were long pauses throughout it, but definitely worth it. All of the floats were beautiful and unique. I loved seeing the various snakes and props. There were also plenty of firecrackers, lion dance teams, dragons, marching bands, local organizations and lots more. There are hundreds of participants from all different age groups. The tall giant shopping cart is always fun to see. The Channel 2 news crew are always in the parade riding in a SF trolley. We even saw the SF mayor walking the parade route saying hi to the crowd. The parade is free unless you purchase bleacher tickets that are located at Union Square which is the end of the parade route. Make sure to bundle up and bring some patience. It has rained some years so be prepared for any kind of weather. I can't wait to attend again this year. I highly recommend seeing it in person if you can because it doesn't compare at all to watching it on tv. It's one of the most famous Chinese New Year parades for a reason. There's nothing like it! read more

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Known for one of the biggest lunar new year parades, it's fun, it's loud, and it's cool to watch.San Francisco has it's own culture and seeing and being part of this amazing part of the year is always something to cherish. Does it get loud? Yes. This parade lasts about 3 1/2 hours. I would recommend getting a comfy lawn chair The year of the snake is considered the "wanna be" year of the dragon. But I still loved it! read more

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This year may have been my first time seeing the Chinese New Year parade in SF...I had gone to the North Beach parade..I am going to the St Patty's Day parade as well..I feel disconnected to the Chinese New Year parade..it was seen at Union Square at night...and it was a general parade with Chinese red and dragons and staples of parades...beauty girl car...marching band...but by 8pm they had fireworks and it was spectacular at Union Square...2025 is year of the snake...nice programs this year...very festive...cousin is a UC Davis grad but he wasn't here...Union Square is grand...North Beach parade is similar...next is St. Patty's Day .. read more

Named one of the top ten parades in the world, it's cool being able to attend this Lunar New Year event free of cost (unless you purchase bleacher seats). We found a great spot at the corner of Powell and Post to set up our lawn chairs, on the same block as Starbucks and local eateries so we could easily grab a snack/drink during the 2-3 hour procession (though there was a bacon-wrapped hotdog cart right behind us too). Over 100 groups were part of the show and celebration, some even gave out gifts to spectators (I got a red envelope)... city officials and politicians, firetrucks and police vehicles, cable cars, pandas, several dragons and lion dancers made up of both young adults and little kids, participants and costumed characters representing local temples, martial arts and mental health organizations, numerous marching bands from different high schools, and even from UC Davis, my alma mater. But the highlights for me were the illuminated floats and props, including a train, a giant shopping cart filled with people, and of course endless adorable bunnies!! Let's face it, that's what I really came for (only in the "Year of the Rabbit" would I brave the cold for this event). There were a couple interruptions to the flow, lasting about 15 minutes each (an inordinate pause with no activity during the middle of the parade)... the crowd was just sitting/standing around behind the barricades, freezing our @sses off, so that was a little cumbersome. But it was still an enjoyable event overall. Sure it was below 50 degrees, but at least it wasn't raining during a majority of the parade. Only at the very end did it start to pour. Not a problem though, people had their umbrellas ready, and by then, we were off to another event anyway. read more

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I was born in SF and one of my 1st childhood memories was of the Chinese New Year Parade. Once I had children of my own I thought it would be a great tradition to go every year especially since it's one of the largest parades in the US! We went every year leading to 2020 but hadn't returned until this year and man o man what a treat!!!! The weather was better than it ever has been in the past!!!! Usually we are freezing our butts off lol!!! It also seemed to be bigger than years previous. If you decide to go bring layers and if you can a camping chair (trust me on this one the parade goes on for hours) I recommend going early because there are so many fun shops to browse and so many good restaurants to try! I look forward to it every year! read more

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After its cancellation in 2021 due to the pandemic, it was great to be able to see the parade this year to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. This parade was first held in 1851 and it has grown to be one of the oldest and one of the largest events outside of Asia. The parade starts from 2nd and Markets Sts., winds through Union Square and into Chinatown, where it ends. Actor Daniel Wu was this year's Grand Marshal and Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee, was the Honorary Marshal. The parade had San Francisco PD and FD, dignitaries, floats, local school children, marching bands from junior highs, high school and universities, lion dancing troupes, dragons, Miss Chinatown and her court, and the long majestic Golden Dragon ending the parade. Of course there was firecrackers throughout the parade to ward off the evil spirits. When the Golden Dragon passed through Union Square, there was a large, first time fireworks display set off from the Square. I've come to watch the parade many times over the years. But this year's felt special given the pandemic, the cancelled 2021 parade and the financial and hate challenges faced by Asian community. If you haven't been to this parade, I recommend you come check it out next year. It's an experience you'll remember. read more

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Believe it or not, I wound up here by accident!! Now, I know that the Chinese New Years Parade in SF is a big event, I think I just forgot about it. I was hanging out in The City, and was about to get on BART at the Embarcadero, when I noticed zero traffic and all the streets blocked off. Then it hit me, oh yeah, the Parade is today, lol!! I was there right after 5PM, so it was just starting. And I was also at the starting point, so I saw a lot of the preparations. And it was packed, so many people!! The floats, the marching bands, just everything made this event awesome!! Loved the kids walking on stilts, lots of kids of all ages were heavily involved. The drumbeat gets you, and draws you in!! This was a great event, glad I got to experience it!! read more

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This was so much fun to attend. Great parade and the best in San Francisco. I am glad to see all the parade participants get into the spirit of Chinese New Years. Lots of talented people at the parade. It's great they offer bleacher seats which is has the best views to see the parade up close. read more

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New Year's 2024 Year of the Dragon felt like bad a discount show. You know the feeling..When you're out watching a movie, but the first 30 minutes are advertisements and trailers? When even after buying the premium membership of "commercial-free" Spotify, you still get podcast commercials? Somehow, That's how this parade felt. Alaskan Airlines took a prominent role. Hyundai. Well you say, it's free!" Nope. You can't relive a Saturday night or pay me back the $10x3 in bart rides.those poor suckers who paid for the bleacher view. Also fireworks? So Unnecessary. dog and cat lovers of Chinatown unite - they don't deserve to be traumatized. Overall I give this a low "meh" read more

As always a FANTASTIC EVENT HOSTED BY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES. The swag bags were incredible. There were so many great performances! The Cal Poly band brought it!!!!! An absolute must at least once in a lifetime! read more

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The parade is a special experience for most. Nostalgic. This was my first time attending since a child and came with new eyes. We got to SF early and wondered around China Town. We bought a wok and some trinkets during the day. At the end of the day we went to China live and had some food and drinks. Next we walked down a side street and ended up on Market at the staging area next to BART. It was amazing to be so close to all of the floats, dancers, and bands. We got to walk up the grand finale dragon and got to take pictures next to it's head. It was so fun. We got to see and take pictures of everything before it got moving. Then we took Bart home and watched the 2nd half of the parade on TV. read more

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One of my girlfriends got us passes for the Chinese New Year parade. Not having read the passes, we arrived a little later than expected. (According to the passes, we were supposed to be seated in section E3 by 5pm.) We got to the parade on Saturday, February 11th around 6:15pm, after it started. Since we were coming from SOMA, there was no way to cross Post Street to where our seats were. Instead, one of the guards by Union Square said we could walk through the square and sit at the seats on the other side of the parade. They ended up being pretty good seats minus the bushes surrounding us. At times, they blocked our view. One bummer about not making the parade in time was missing out on the gift bags. I've never been to the CNY parade, but my gf had and she said the gift bags always came with a bunch of goodies. Totally our fault for getting there late though. I don't know if the lion dancing happened at the beginning or end, but we were able to see various groups holding up some dragons. Not quite the same as the dancing, but still fun to watch. Also got to see some firecrackers, a golden rooster, and a colorful, light up float by AT&T. I guess the viewers could choose the color of the last float by going to a website. Fun way to experience the parade live and in person. Next time, I'll know to get to my seats early! read more

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More dragons! More cowbell! I just can't help it. Every time I hear that the Chinese New Year Parade is coming, I think of that old chestnut "Flower Drum Song" and the way that hotsy-totsy Nancy Kwan would make the paper fans on her ta-ta's fold up in rhythm to the music, all the while dancing with a chorus of awkwardly choreographed Asians (video: http://bit.ly/2lKDqvo). Let's just face it - Asians shouldn't dance like they're auditioning for "Singin' in the Rain". They should do those karate chop moves to ethnically appropriate songs like "Kung Fu Fighting". OK, that sounded like Trump, didn't it? Egad, I've been infected by the current administration. Anyhow, Jamie W. and I just saw the parade on Saturday evening as Market Street was swarming with spectators of all ages. We were fine being three rows back on the sidewalk. All we wanted to see were the illuminated dragons anyway (photo: http://bit.ly/2l2L6sX). It's the Year of the Rooster, the significance of which I wasn't sure except it made me want to get a Costco rotisserie chicken like real bad. Truth be told, we've already seen all the floats when we snuck past a security gate and saw them stored out in the open down on Pier 54 a couple of years ago (photo: http://bit.ly/2lJPADP). Regardless, you have to go to the parade at least once, right? No ta-ta's though. read more

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Review #888 You know I had to write something lucky for my #888th review, and San Francisco's Chinese New Year (CNY) parade it is! The BEST in the WEST!!! We've either all attended this colorful parade and enjoyed the weeks of festivities leading up to the world famous celebration, or watched it on television since it mostly rains around CNY. If you haven't seen it in person, then you better plan on going to this magical celebration that has almost one million people flocking to SF each year. The SF CNY celebration originated in the 1860's during the Gold Rush day and is now the largest Asian event in North America, as well as, the largest general market event in NorCal. The celebration includes two major fairs, the CNY Flower Fair and Chinatown Community Street Fair. All the festivities culminate with CNY Parade. Named one of the world's top ten parades, CNY Parade in SF is the largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. Over 100 units will participate in the parade, many of the floats and specialty units will feature the current Chinese zodiac. http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/ Nowhere in the world will you see a lunar new year parade with more gorgeous floats, elaborate costumes, ferocious lions, and exploding firecrackers. Some of the parade highlights include elaborately decorated floats, school marching bands (I participated during my drill team days in HS - go Eagles), martial arts group, stilt walkers, lion dancers, Chinese acrobatics, the newly crowned Miss Chinatown USA and the Golden Dragon. "The Golden Dragon" is over 260 feet long and always featured at the end of the parade as the grand finale and will be accompanied by over 600,000 firecrackers! It takes a team of 100 men and women to carry the Golden Dragon. This is also considered an honor to be chosen for the grand finale. Come watch the parade, bring the entire family! P.S. 2017 will be Year of the Rooster! I'm Year of the DRAGON, which will be 2024. Gong Xi Fa Cai (Mandarin) read more

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Date: 2/11/2017 4:50 PM 58° Partly sunny The last time my sister and I attended the Chinese New Year Parade was back in 2003 (Year of the Ram). We somewhat stopped attending because the rainy weather played a factor and I was not one to stand in the rain with an umbrella up for 2.5 hours, then tried to take photos with my cell phone camera at the same time. It was not easy. (I did not have an android phone back then and the amount ofpixels on a flip phone was horrible - be gone dinosaur phone...lol.) This time around the weather was much nicer, no rain, not terribly warm, but a balmy evening to enjoy the parade. My sister and I stood on Post Street between the review stands of the two local news station, Channels 2 and 26. It was crowded, but I managed to take many photos of the marching bands, lion dance troupes, young participants, Miss Chinatown and her court and the main important photo - the dragon at the conclusion of the parade. The event as usual is very colorful and vibrant. I love it! While watching the parade, my thought went back to a review by a fellow yelper (Jenny T), upon hearing the drums, cymbals and gongs of the various lion dance troupes. I agree with her that the sounds are...bung bung chang. Thanks Jenny T for the sound effects. The only slight drawback was the popping of the long strings of firecrackers - quite loud and quite smoky - resulting in my coughing incessantly. What a way to conclude the parade with a loud bang to ward off evil spirits and the beautiful lit up dragon. read more

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It's easy to feel lost in the crowd when living in, working in, and growing up in the city of San Francisco given the sheer amount of people going to and from locations all doing their own thing on their own time and what not. What I love about the annual Chinese New Year Parade is that it captures and creates a positive and much needed sense of community in this bustling city suitable for all peoples of all ages and of all backgrounds. Especially during these trying times and given that there was a lack of a parade the previous year, the energy and spirit felt especially high this year from both the parade participants and the viewership at the bleachers, sidewalks, and even online. I hope to see this tradition of an event to continue year after year in the spectacular city that is San Francisco. Have a wonderful year, everybody! read more

Good times, good people. Lots of room for everyone but try to get there early if you want a spot on the curb!

Finally after 50 years, got to see the San Francisco Chinese New Years parade. We were undecided on logistically how to attend, but in the end we decided to take Bart in and exit the Embarcadero Station and find a spot near 2nd or 3rd Street. At 5pm, the crowd started to grow, and we had to stake out our spot on 3rd street right before the turn in to Chinatown. The parade started with several high school and college bands, and some small groups. It then progressed into more and more elaborate floats with Miss Chinatown and her court, as well as several corporate floats. In fact, the parade lasted over 2 1/2 hours! The weather cooperated with us and was mild all evening this year and it was free from fog or rain the whole evening. Although the crowd was unbelievable large, everyone was polite and orderly and there were no issues or problems that I could see. All in all, this was one that I could finally check off of my list, and am glad that I finally got to see this in person. read more

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"Bung bung chang... bung bung chang... bung bung chang..." That's the sound you hear through-out the parade, it signifies that the dragons are out. These colorfully decorated dragons are supposed to scare away evil spirits and cleanse away all things evil, bad and unlucky to make room for a healthy, prosperous and lucky new year. When I was an itty bitty kiddo, my dad use to drag the entire family out to San Francisco to watch the parade. I guess because we grew up in a Chinese community, everything my dad forced onto us was considered cheesy when it pertained to our culture. And the more my dad tried to get us involved, the more I thought it was cheesy. But now that I'm older, I now grasp onto my roots, embrace my culture and appreciate that my parents smacked the culture into me, smacked it real good. And so, coming back to the CNY parade brings back memories of my dad, the dragons, the drum, the beat, and our big orange Chevy truck that was borrowed out by one of the Kung Fu studios that performed the dragon dance at this parade... The year of the Snake, is by far, the best weather I've ever experienced for a CNY parade. The night was clear, the chill factor was low and the audience, as always in SF, is vivacious. The best spot to view the parade is in front of Tiffany's located on Post Street. What I noticed is that there were far more beautiful floats and big name sponsors such as Oracle, Visa, Harrah's Casino, etc. than what I remember when I was a kiddo. Float after float was more colorful and extravagant, if not the same, than the next float. Which made it more pleasing for the eye. And every other float was either a marching band from a local school or smaller dragons fiercely charging through the streets to cleanse out the bad luck. A couple of dragons came close enough to chomp off little kids heads but instead of chomping, they end up batting their fluffy white eyelashes with admiration. The grand finale ends with a 10 feet row of bright red firecrackers, it is tightly controlled by a chicken wire fencing. The bang bang bang fills the air with gun powder smoke as the longest dragon in the world dance madly and wildly around it. It was nostalgic to me, it brought me back to family...it brought me back to my dad (peace)... Gung Hay Fat Choy! read more

Chinese New Year Parade - biggest baddest dragon here - Festivals Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The foo dogs and dragons were neat but the parade is way too long with way to many politicians in cars and not a lot of floats. Also very crowded. If you bart in, make sure you stay on the side of the parade route as the bart station or you can't get out until the end of the parade. read more

Horrible place. I begged them to allow me to just buy two tickets from them but they insisted they're sold out as it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for my friend. No sympathy whatsoever and they claimed they're sold out but I literally see empty spaces on the bleachers. Boycott this place they don't even tell people when they're selling out and then they say too bad if you weren't able to buy it. At least tell people when you're running low on tickets and when they are released. Very discriminatory as my friend will now never be able to see it in his lifetime. Section E they charge extremely a lot for but refuse to sell much tickets as they want to act all boujee about it. Boycott this parade. Money grabbers and refuse to let people buy tickets or even let others buy it from others who might not be able to make it anymore. read more

This was our first time at the Chinese New Year parade, well any live parade for that matter. We really enjoyed the dragon teams as they went by. They were really good about coming close to the spectators , the kids and adults really cheered when this happened. It's a great cultural parade with quite a variety of local clubs and organizations participating. I am always glad t see the kids getting involved In their cultural heritage! They could have left out the politicians as most people came for a cultural experience not to see a waving politico in a car, let them pander for votes in a different venue! Although having the Mayor is ok, lol, The parade was well organized and there was a lot of security. The only downside was all the late comers that paid for bleacher seas because they had to squeeze past. They kept bumping into a poor elderly woman that could barely stand. I grabbed one guy that almost bowled her over and made him apologize to the woman..geeze people are so thoughtless and self absorbed... He could have really hurt her. They should have to give up their seats if they can't get there on time! It's definitely worth seeing the parade in person at least once. Though I'll watch it on TV next year! read more

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The annual Chinese New Year Parade is one of two San Francisco parades that I rarely miss each year (the other one being Carnaval). Part of it is the celebration of my culture, another part is my fascination with Chinese lions and dragons both of which I have enjoyed throughout my lifetime dating way back to my youth growing up in Chinatown. This is also the only parade I've ever participated in, twice in fact while working for a local politician in my early years of adulthood. That's a cool side note, but experience has shown it's much more fun to watch than it is to ride and wave. Friends and acquaintances often ask me why not just sit at home and watch it on TV, but to me it's like attending a live sporting event. To thoroughly soak in the atmosphere, to feel that excitement in the air, to smell the wonderful waft of gunpowder scent and to see thousands of firecrackers literally crackling at my feet nothing compares to seeing this event live and in person. Some argue that it often rains on the night of this parade, but older generations have told me the belief is that when it rains on the night of the parade an extra dose of good luck is brought about. The fact that it didn't rain on this year's parade proves to be of little concern to me seeing as it is the Year of the Dragon and anyone who follows Chinese folklore knows that the Chinese dragon besides being a guardian to the good also controls both the wind and the rain and sea levels throughout the earth. Whether you believe any of this though is entirely up to you. I can go on and on about Chinese dragons and the folklore behind it, but I'll spare you because the main reason I love this parade so much is the color: Colorful dragons (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=V4mcQ9JjWCYKp4zGAi9oQw) And more colorful dragons (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=pgSEph-1O_RkJG7spWndhg) Majestic lions (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=Du8xyqL-1GDSearIiIr9WA) Kung-fu fighting youth (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=gRPd5QK3gVn4iyRVoC1LOw) Talented performing youth (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=4GoErH3-qFp_BDKTEhDNQw) Lions and dragons together forever (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=8ZR6qFnu1Sv9BC19LMbDbA) The biggest lion's head I've ever seen (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=ZCTKOjl8pTVfEu6XqCJ6YA) And pretty ladies of course, a big Congratulations to Steffi Hu of Sugar Land, Texas for winning the title of: Miss Chinatown USA 2012 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ATpSXkaFdGZok-8eFzO16A?select=J4kYCgV9muiX4o2cwzyeVw) Gung Hei Fat Choy everybody!! read more

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Gung Hei Fat Choy and Gung Hei Sun Neen!! (Happy Prosperity and New Year) This is the year of the Boar. It is also Matt's year and It means: Pay attention to your health. A well-balanced diet as well as sufficient exercise is indicated. Talk to your doctor about the best way to get fit this year. "So Matt can't eat TWO Super-Burritos in one serving? Ha-ha, yeah right!" Work will be constructive, building on recent accomplishments. Put forth your ideas and skills to benefit from the opportunities that come your way. There may not be many, so be prepared, for they will be ideal for you. Especially favored in the months of May, June and November. "Matt will wait and see. Thanksgiving is in November, and Matt eats like a BOAR." Financially, there will be an improvement in income, but spending levels will remain fairly high. Think carefully before making any large purchases. Use freelance work or special skills for extra income. "Hey, where is my raise? And why does Matt has so much bills? Looking for another skills for extra money? Sorry no prostitution for Matt." Matt has seen The Chinese New Year Parade live or on TV since he was in diapers, and will continue to do so until he is 6 ft. under. This is also his third go-around with the Year of the Boar, and Matt wouldn't dare miss this parade for damn sure, because this is his year. Over the years, the parade has never change and seems to get better and better every year. In addition to the traditional Lion-dance and the "Loud" fire-crackers, marching bands from school of all ages and profit and non-profit organizations marched down the streets from the Financial District to the very of end of Chinatown. Other noticeable celebrities participating in the parade includes the Mayor of San Francisco, and the Miss Chinatown contestants including the newly crown winner of the current year. Talk about a Goodwill Ambassador, Yum! Out of all the San Francisco events, the Chinese New Year Parade is the most attractive and the biggest event of the year for all ages. And yes, like all SF events, people get drunk at the Chinese New Year Parade!! Firecrackers: "POW, POW, POW, POW, POW!!" read more

Chinese New Year Parade - Gung Hei Sun Neen!! - Festivals Near Me - San Francisco, California

(See pic) Review #1355. I have been to the parade a few times, and am glad that it was not rainy like some past years even it's a bit chilly. I totally disliked how all the traffic was rerouted and how people were so frustrated when they cannot get to their destination. Fortunately MUNI had sent their staff standing at the bus stop to adviser people to walk up to Broadway Street if they needed to catch the bus. And that the staff spoke Chinese. Chinese New Year Parade inconvenienced Chinese because it caters mostly to non-Chinese, so go figure. The parade itself was nice if you had not been to one. It's more about being with lots of people around rather than the parade itself. I was on Waverly Street when I saw the kids with the bright yellow Kung Fu outfits holding the dragon dance and lion dance costumes and were getting ready. That's what I considered as real Chinese fun, to see before it began. This was also right after the Chinese new year street festival that ended right before the parade started. A glimpse of McDonald on stage and when does American pop music have anything to do with Chinese New Year?! Fortunately there were finally some ancient Chinese style parade cars and the Miss Chinatown! This is the year of snake and someone was funny and smart enough to utilize an exhaust pipe as the snake body at the parade. read more

For my first year @ the parade there were some definite highlights! The kids on stilts and the large dragon with about 15 people in it were amazing. It was funny that the rain forced the decorations to look a little haphazard. Things that should have been colorful and bright were covered in ponchos and tarps. Even the people were having problems that lined the streets. All the umbrellas everyone had open tended to just get in the way and drip on those surrounding you. At least the rain wasn't constant. I also found it funny that there was a funnel cake booth with fried corn dogs and such, as well as a balloon shop. It was fun to see all the people and almost shake Gavin Newsom's hand... I was soo close and he breezed over me, damn! read more

Chinese New Year Parade - A bit rainy but still festive! - Festivals Near Me - San Francisco, California

It typically rains around this event, so be prepared. The parade starts in the financial district, goes through Union Square and ends just after Chinatown. You can pay for bleacher seats but there are plenty of places along the route where you can catch a spot. The parade starts around 5:30 and goes until about 9:30 but it just depends on where you are on the parade route. I personally like walking around before in the financial district to see all the floats setting up, the schools in costume waiting and dragon heads on the ground. I then like to go over towards the end of the parade route. It's less crowded so it's a great spot if you're late. It's typically a fun event and worth coming out to watch and take pictures. Note that the parade doesn't actually occur on the Lunar New Year, but a few weeks later. read more

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First time to see the Chinese NY Parade live. We were really lucky because there was No Rain this year. The parade route is Market & 2nd to Geary down Powell down Post & end at Kearny @ Washington. We were standing at Kearny @ Commercial across from R&G Lounge by the Bleachers. It's best before the bleachers because after passing the judges nobody wants to perform anymore. Pics for me were hard to take - security is all in front blocking the views & night pics are harder. Saw: (Former) Mayor Willie Brown Mayor Gavin Newsom - black shirt, jeans & non-slick hair - very casual, walked the parade, then stayed a bit on the Judges stand Senator Leland Yee - in a car Senator Mark Leno - in a car George Shultz Charlotte Mailliard Schutz - Grand Marshal Fiona Ma - State assemblywoman Miss Chinatown 2010 & her court - separate floats Condoleezza Rice - cool, stayed a bit on the Judges stand Tons of lion dancers, dragons Finale was the Giant Lion head & very long dragon w/ tons of very loud firecrackers - Bring Earplugs!! Hope to go next yr! read more

The 2011 parade was great - there's fireworks, beautiful gold floats, Miss Chinatown contestants, martial arts demonstrations by adults & adorable little kids from SF's best martial arts schools, and of course a dragon! I actually was briefly inside the dragon when it came by and it was filled with white hipsters, which I thought was amusing but what do you really expect - it's SF!! The most impressive physical feat (and there were a lot of impressive physical feats considering the martial arts demonstrations!) were the guys who climbed up on stilts dressed in stylized rabbit costumes and danced on top of the stilts. Holding onto those stilts for that long must take an insane amount of body strength. I watched the 2011 Chinese New Year Parade from Chinatown. The parade goes through the entire city and ends up in Chinatown. It's a relatively small parade - don't get me wrong, it's really fun to watch but it's in no way comparable to Macy's Thanksgiving parade in NYC. The parade timings are posted beforehand; you should check them before attending so you don't have to spend too much time waiting. Despite getting there right before the parade (many people had been waiting hours in the bleacher stands that were set up), I was able to stand in the front row to the sides of the bleachers. I was able to see most of the parade, although I couldn't see the martial arts demonstrations. I HIGHLY recommend taking public transportation; I made the mistake of driving my car and found many roads blocked off for the parade and parking hiked up to insane rates ($25 to 30 in lots that are normally only $10). read more

Love my hometown SF. Love that my kids and I started a new tradition to come to the parade every year. Happy Lunar New Year San Francisco!! read more

Chinese New Year Parade - Happy Lunar New Year! Year of the Rooster. - Festivals Near Me - San Francisco, California

I only wished this parade started earlier in the day. My friends and I were sitting near the end of the parade route on kearny between california and pine. By the time we could see the parade, it was already past 6pm and you could see the performers getting really tired (the lion dancers were out of their costume and just walking)!! It was dark and hard to see things. The parade wasn't over until past 8:30pm!!! So long!!! O_O Some parts of the parade were cheesy and boring, and other parts were ok. My butt was numb and frozen! It was freezing cold even with all the layers that I had on!!! Instead of selling cotton candy and those blinking necklaces, someone should sell warm food and drinks!!! Be careful of those firecrackers! If you sit on the curb, you might get hit by them (and they hurt)! Highlight: the really long and lit up dragon!! that was neat! I think next time I'll stay away from the crowds and just watch it at home. Believe me, you're better off not freezing to death!! read more

This was my first time and me and my daughter had a ball I was told it's the best by far in a long time good music good sights friendly people and great atmosphere where you felt safe and entertained all day read more

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Yes... For us looooong time Bay Area residents we have seen this parade so many times we know almost every band, float, dragon team, politician, by heart. Hell, this year we were even telling SFPD officers assigned to the parade what time certain floats were supposed to be rolling by.. lol This is one of the best FREE family events in the Bay Area. The only problem is you have to be very street smart to locate a good spot away from the crowds (translation: Union Square and Market Street are for-sure death traps-lol). Another thing you need to be aware of is the fact that this parade is LOOOOOOONG.... I mean, it starts at 5:30ish and will keep going till at least 8:15ish or later. Therefore, I suggest you wear comfortable shoes and stock up on water and snacks. The parade is also VERY loud at some points, so you wouldn't do wrong if you brought a pair of earplugs. lol And don't forget the camera with extra batteries and memory cards. Trust me, you-re going to run out of both once you start snapping away. Take a jacket. Don't let the sunny skies fool you... Its still winter in the Bay and it can get coooooold standing there for over four hours. Don't worry about your kids. Trust me. They'll start bugging you around hour two begging for you to take them home... Lol.. Away from the scary dragons and exploding firecrackers..... Like I said, us natives know the parade by heart now. However, there IS a good reason why we keep coming back year after year.... read more

Chinese New Year Parade - Festivals Near Me - San Francisco, California

The 2014 Chinese New Year Parade is my first time seeing this event. It was very cool. San Francisco really does do the best parades. read more

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fun parade if this is your first time seeing this type of parade, else it's pretty boring. there were so many people, you will have to be there at least 1 hour before to get a good spot to view the parade. we're there 1.5 hour, we managed to get a seat that's high enough to see all the parade and not being blocked by the crowds. read more

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Missed Connection: You looked so lovely sitting on your float, m4w. Me: Extremely tall, Handsome, Asian, Mid-twenties, with a throwback Phillies cap and a dark gray jacket. You: Shapely, Beautiful, Asian, Smiling and waving at the crowd. Early twenties (perhaps?) Also, you are Miss Chinatown. On the off chance that the 2009, Year of the Ox, Miss Chinatown is reading this, I think we shared a moment on Saturday night. We were at the beginning of the parade route, I mimed for you to call me, and you blew me a kiss. That's when I yelled out that I loved you, but perhaps you were too shy to reciprocate. The setting for us to meet was perfect. I don't think I've ever had a better time at a parade! Certainly the San Francisco Chinese New Year's celebration lives up to it's reputation as one of the best parades in the country. You were so graceful and glamorous presiding over a parade of thousands, and adored by many thousands more. Great job (I am also gainfully employed)! The performances were so colorful and festive (just like the many fun activities you and I could enjoy)! Especially the wee-ones; did you get a chance to see all the young children that performed? (I also can tolerate kids, if you're into them). Anyways, if you want to give it a shot, I'm more than willing to accompany you on any more floats you may have to sit on. I'm very good at waving. read more

decades have passed since i seen it live. probably brought my kids here when they were five 'twas before parade was commericialized before politicols, tv people trivialized. now unexpected groups emerge: sanitation workers doing a can can gays, bisexuals, transexuals flipping fans reno, vegas floats urging celebrates to splurge watching parade for favs on the tv stand: cultural floats, dragons, immortals, me a fan st. mary's girl's drum and bell corps monkey king, beauty queens and more. read more

This was my first time at the Chinese New Year parade. My bf, a veteran of many CNY Parades showed me the way to properly watch this parade. We were in Chinatown early in the day, had some dim sum, walked around enjoying the festival before heading back to our car to get our portable seats. Then, I suggested getting something to eat because sitting there for an hour and half before the parade starting can be boring. Picked up some Vietnamese sandwiches and some drinks and we found a nice spot on Kearney, right under the California sign. It was a really good spot since many of the floats and dancers stopped in front of us in preparation for the grandstand. Many of the dragon dancers swooped in to let us touch the dragons. Lots of smiling and waving and dancing. And I especially loved that UC Davis' Aggies Band-UH! was there. I think I was the only one cheering super loud for them. BF's friend is a UC Berkeley alum so we had some friendly teasing going on. It was a nice and clear evening. A bit chilly but that's to be expected. A really great time. Next time, I'm packing in a few lap blankets and my DS to play some games as the boys chat away. Either way, next year, I'll be warmer and prepared for some fun. read more