Quick Guide to SF’s Biggest Chinese New Year Party

From firecrackers to the Golden Dragon, here’s how to experience San Francisco’s iconic Chinese New Year parade.

And just like that, the Year of Pig began! To be more precise, the Year of the Brown Pig. And to celebrate, we decided to head into San Francisco’s Chinatown to experience the Chinese New Year festivities, especially its spectacular parade.

We’ve watched the San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade on TV for years, always saying that one day we’d love to be there in person. And finally, that day came!

It turned out be one of the most impressive parades we’ve ever seen, and absolutely unforgettable celebration! And even though the weather was icy cold, it was still so much fun to stand there in the middle of the crowd, hearing the firecrackers boom and smelling the gunpowder in the air.

San Francisco’s Historic Chinatown

San Francisco’s Chinatown was founded in 1848, and today it’s one of the city’s most iconic sights and beloved neighborhoods. Nearly 35,000 people live within its compact borders, making it the second most densely populated area in the United States after Manhattan in New York.

We’ve wandered through quite a few Chinatowns, like the one in Vancouver, Canada, and the one in Portland, Oregon, but San Francisco’s Chinatown is truly in a league of its own. It’s the oldest Chinatown in the U.S., and also the largest outside of Asia.

Over its long history, the neighborhood has been seen everything from devastating earthquakes to clashes between Asian gangs. But through it all, it has always been, and still is, a vital home base for the city’s Chinese community.

Many Chinese residents from surrounding areas come here to shop or attend cultural events, while travelers arrive to explore, eat, and soak in the atmosphere. And honesty, wandering through its narrow alleyways, it’s easy to forget you’re even in the United States – many locals don’t speak English at all.

 

Chinatown is an absolute must-visit when you’re exploring San Francisco. At the very least, you should come here to eat and stop by the fortune cookie factory, which you can visit for free.

The Spectacular New Year Festival & Parade

Every year, San Francisco’s Chinatown celebrates the Lunar New Year with a massive festival and parade. The event was first held back in 1851, and over time it has grown into the largest Asian cultural celebration in North America. It’s also the biggest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia, and the parade itself has been named one of the top ten parades in the world.

During the festival, there are countless events to enjoy, including the Chinese New Year Run, street markets, basketball tournaments, and a flower festival. The celebration also includes the Miss Chinatown U.S.A. pageant, and the winner along with her runner ups takes part in the grand parade.

On parade day, people begin lining the streets well before nightfall, and the sound of firecrackers fills the air almost immediately. If you’re hoping to snag a front-row spot along the route, you’ll want to be there at least an hour before the parade begins.

The parade itself lasts several hours and eventually winds its way to the judges’ stand, where the evening’s best performer or float is selected. The lineup typically features Chinese acrobats, school groups, marching bands, martial arts performers, and even stilt walkers.

The parade went so long that we even had time to pop into a nearby bakery for some hot tea and a little evening snack. After that, we slowly made our way toward the train station, following the parade route so we could still catch the final performers along the way. We were already cold and completely exhausted, but there was no way we were leaving before seeing evert last act.

The parade always ends with the Grand Finale, featuring the Golden Dragon you see the main photo of this post. The dragon is made in China and stretches over 260 feet (80 meters) long. It takes 100 people to carry it through the parade.

Seeing the Golden Dragon snake past us up close was truly spectacular.

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On our way home, we agreed that this was a perfect practise year for us. Next time, we’ll come better prepared with a bigger group, foldable chairs, thermoses full of hot drinks, and the warmest clothes we own.

Now we also know exactly where the best viewing spots are. The prime locations are right along the route just after the grandstands, because performers always stop in front of the seated audience to perform their routines. Of course, buying a seat in the grandstand is another great option. Otherwise, the parade is completely free to watch.

What an incredible experience! Have you ever been to a big parade like this?

Happy Year of the Pig to everyone! 🐷