Started in the 1860's by the Chinese in San Francisco as a means to educate the community about their culture, the Chinese New Years Parade and Festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. Parade highlights include elaborate floats, lion dancers, folk dancers, costumed elementary school groups, marching bands, stilt walkers, Chinese acrobats, and a 268 foot long Golden Dragon ("Gum Lung.")

The Parade will also be televised live on KTVU Fox 2 from 6-8pm. Over 100 units will participate in the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade. A San Francisco tradition since just after the Gold Rush, the parade continues to delight and entertain the many hundreds of thousands of people that come to watch it on the street or tune in to watch it on television.

Nowhere in the world will you see a lunar new year parade with more gorgeous floats, elaborate costumes, exploding firecrackers , and of course the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A. and her court.