Happy Lunar New Year!

It is almost the year of the dragon! This year, the Lunar New Year begins on February 10th and ends on the 24th, but San Francisco’s famous celebrations span the entire month. Celebrate the holiday with Parades, street fairs, flower markets, and more!

As it is the year of the dragon, a cultural and historical symbol of good luck, prosperity, and strength, we can expect to see intricate and exciting dragon dances in the parades. People born in the year of the dragon are often seen as charismatic, intelligent, confident, powerful, and lucky. Get ready to celebrate the holiday with lanterns, parades, longevity noodles, and red envelopes!

Here are a few of San Francisco’s celebrations to keep in mind:

Flower Market Fair (Feb 3-4): Join San Francisco on Grant Ave between Sacramento and Broadway to purchase fresh flowers, fruits, candies, and supplies to decorate your home in preparation for the holiday! There will be performances by traditional Chinese magicians, acrobats, folk dancers, and opera surrounding the over 120 booths.

Chinese New Year Parade (Feb 24): With exciting dance troupes, lanterns, music, and food, the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, located between Market and Columbus, is the largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. There are bleacher tickets for purchase online, and standing areas around the route.

Community Street Fair (Feb 24-25): After the parade, enjoy the 115+ booths and concessions lining Chinatown. There are activities for all ages with live folk dancing, drumming, opera, and artifacts from the parade itself. Take a picture with the giant dragon, watch a performance, or enjoy a traditional meal!

Gung Hay Fat Choy! We hope you enjoy this month of celebrations!