Karen Eng is the coordinator for the Chinese New Year parade.

 

　　She says Chinese New Year is still celebrated with many of the traditional elements in San Francisco's China Town:

 

　　"I think it's very traditional. The families here still have a dinner to close out the year, you know the whole family gets together, and they have a dinner a few days later to open the New Year. And of course the house is cleaned, we all get new clothes, we all get haircuts before the actual new years day, and we celebrate I think like I said traditionally with passing out red envelopes to children on new year's day. And the businesses here in China town, I notice that they do have lion dancing and they set out the firecrackers to not just ward off the evil spirits, but also to bring good luck and prosperity for the new year."

 

　　Karen says the events town during the Lunar New Year in China Town San Francisco, similar to New Years celebrations in China lasts for a couple of weeks:

 

　　"We're starting the flower market, and what it is, is it's a place its in China town and they close the whole streets and have lots of vendors and booths and they sell fresh plants, flowers, new years candy, everything for people to buy for the new years so that they can decorate their homes. It's really, also in China town we're going to have a mini procession parade, its like a kick off, so we're just going to have a teaser to the big parade. Also we're going to have ribbon cutting ceremonies and entertainment in China town, so the flower fair is what kicks it off."

 

　　But the biggest and anticipated event that brings in crowds from all over the world is the Cinese Lunar Parade:

 

　　"The Chinese New Year's San Francisco is I understand the largest one outside of Asia, and I think its unique, because it's a night illuminated parade and its been going on actually over 150 years. It started in 1847, during the gold rush and the Chinese were here and they wanted to celebrate the new year and they thought of an American tradition and called it a parade, but it was on a dirt road back then, but it wasn't until 1958 that the Chinese Chamber of commerce took it over, so its been a San Francisco tradition, like the way it is now since like 1950's since over like 55 years so. It is because people come from all over the world and the reason I know that is because I also sell bleacher seats to the parade and so I'm seeing the orders come in from not just around the country and the local bay area, but you know from London, Australia, and Canada and Mexico and the Philippines, and you know so I know its international and being so excited to come here."

 

　　Karen says that every year, the parade hosts a group from China to participate in the parade:

 

　　"Every year, we get a group from China as a to perform in our Chinese New Year parade, and we call them, they're our opening act and this year we're going to have some folk dancers from Guiyang province and that we had the Shanxi dancers a couple of years ago, and many times it's the first time for these performers to come to the US and sometime. Thirty of them will come over and its very unique because they do their special routines and dances".

 

　　In addition to the annual parade, another big event that happens during the Spring Festival in San Francisco's China Town is the Miss China Town Pageant.

 

　　"The Chinese Chamber, took over in '58 and it started earlier as a beauty pageant and the story is they think that the Chinese Americans when they were at War in world war II, they were used to looking at pinups so when they came back here they thought it was a good idea to have something like that and call it Miss China town, but it was a bathing beauty contest, anyways hat continued through 1952 and in 1958, the Chinese New Year festival, they started sponsoring it. Girls from all over the United States compete for this title, and there, they win scholarships and become good will ambassadors, to represent the Chinese communities throughout the world, so it's a pretty popular, we have maybe 16-18 girls participating every year from all over the United States."

 

　　The Parade will be held on February the 23rd in San Fransisco's China Town. Karen says they have a 268 foot golden dragon that is lit up during the parade and takes over 100 men and women to carry throughout the parade.

 

　　Besides the New Years Parade, many other organizations in San Franscico all take part in celebrating the Lunar New Year:

 

　　"The San Francisco symphony has a New Year's concert. The Chinese historical society always has something. And the Asian Art museum is doing a terra cotta display this year. The San Francisco Zoo even gets involved, And the San Francisco botanical gardens, they always do something special for the Lunar New Year: either lion dancing or story telling, it's very special it's a big deal here."

 

　　And so, while people here in China are ringing in the Lunar New Year, other cities and countries throughout the world will also be dancing through the streets and lighting up the sky with fire crackers to celebrate the Spring Festival.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Simone Cote.