Get ready to ring in the Year Of The Snake with San Francisco’s Chinese New Year events (February 2 – 24, 2013). Chinese New Year celebrations include a Flower Market Fair, Chinese New Year Parade, and Chinese New Year Community Street Fair. Named one of the world’s top ten parades and , the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is the largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia.
“Nowhere in the world will you see a lunar new year parade with more gorgeous floats, elaborate costumes, ferocious lions, exploding firecrackers, and of course the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A. and her court. A crowd favorite is the spectacular 268′ Golden Dragon (“Gum Lung”) It takes a team of over 100 men and women from the martial arts group, White Crane to carry this dragon throughout the streets of San Francisco.” -Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Festival & Parade
WHAT: Chinese New Year 2013 Parade & other Free events.
- Chinese New Year Mini-Parade Preview & Ribbon Cutting - Free. Saturday, February 2, 2013, 10:30am. Procession and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with the Mayor and other city officials. Begins at historic St. Mary’s Square, follows the original parade route down Grant to the Flower Fair’s main stage on Washington. Estimated time for the ribbon cutting ceremony 10:45am.
- Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair - Free. February 2 – 3, 2013. Saturday 10am-4:30pm; Sunday 9am-5pm. Location: Grant Ave from California to Broadway. Pacific Ave from Kearny to Stockton; Washington & Jackson St from Kearny to Stockton.
- Chinese New Year Day - February 10, 2012. No events scheduled on this day.
- Chinese New Year Parade - Free. Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 5:15pm. Parade begins at 5:30pm at Second and Market Streets, then west on Market to Kearny, north on Kearny to Post, west on Post to Powell, north on Powell to Sutter, east on Sutter back to Kearny to Columbus Ave.
- Chinese New Year Community Street Fair - Free. February 23 – 24, 2013. Grant Avenue from California to Broadway St., Pacific Avenue from Kearny to Stockton, Washington and Jackson Streets from Kearny to Stockton, San Francisco.
SAVVY TIP: Parade viewing gets more crowded as you get closer to Chinatown. Post Street is suggested by parade organizers as a good place to watch the parade. Want to skip the crowds? Tune in to watch the live Parade broadcast on KTVU Fox 2 or KTSF Ch. 26 from 6-8pm.
FYI: Year of the Snake is Lunar Year 4711.
I recorded the live KTVU broadcast on DVD.
Anybody interested in having a free copy, please email me at dandear99@hotmail.com. Please include your full name, address and phone number.
Our granddaughter will be in the parade. We live in Florida. Will FOX TV carry this parade? What time? Thank you. Grandpa…….
Hi Jerry–That’s great that your granddaughter will be in the parade. I don’t know if FOX TV will cover the event in your area, but you can always check this KTVU web page because they’ll probably have some coverage online during the parade from 6:00-8:00 pm on Saturday, Feb 7. They’ve already posted videos and photos of other events surrounding the Chinese New Year Parade and Festival. Thanks for the comment!
~Kathy