San Francisco Chinese New Year

The Allure of a San Francisco Chinese New Year

Observed in this historic northern California city since the 1860s, the Chinese New Year parade is probably the most notable and alluring portion of celebrating this cherished Chinese holiday in the West. However, it is far from the only event geared at Chinatown during the month of February. An exciting fusion of Asian culture and classic American tradition, the heart of San Francisco is where you will find the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia. In fact, San Francisco has been consistently credited for having the most authentic festivities outside of China itself. Unless you are planning to throw down some cash for the airfare to Shanghai, travel on over to this foggy city of fun to experience the best in Chinese parties!

Chinese New Year Flower Fair

A San Francisco Chinese New Year would not be complete with the annual flower fair. Each year, this is the official starting event of the celebratory month, happening the weekend before the lunar new year. Chinese-Americans take advantage of this flower spread to purchase their holiday plants, fruits and flowers, embellishing their homes with traditional New Year decorations. Found in the center of Chinatown’s main drag, this festive feel spreads to all tourists who come to visit the fair, which also includes cultural music, dance and art galleries. Approximately 400,000 people come to the flower fair, making it a great start to a month full of fun and tradition.

Chinatown Community Street Fair

San Francisco’s Chinatown is an exciting place to explore any time of year, but during the weekend of the Chinese New Year parade, the community fair pulls out all the stops when it comes to entertainment and a chance to absorb a bit of true Chinese culture. From performing lions to fine arts exhibits, this fair is packed out each year with both residents and visitors. Attend this fair if you are looking for authentic souvenirs and a chance to experience a Chinese New Year that is so close to the original, you may forget you aren’t actually walking down the streets of China itself.

Getting There

Chinese New Year can make the city extremely crowded, and even those local to the area will assure you driving in San Francisco can be a frustrating experience. With its narrow streets set on impossible hills, San Francisco has responded to its residents’ annoyance by providing one of the best public transportation systems in California.

Taking the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), is one of the most inexpensive and efficient ways to navigate through San Francisco around this time of year. Exit at the Powell or Montgomery Street stations to drop into the middle of the festivities. You can purchase round trip tickets for groups or families (ticket lines at the stations can get congested), and figure out rates ahead of time by visiting their official website. BART often offers discounted rates to children, and toddlers are usually free. Planning ahead is the best way to travel to Chinatown without a lot of hassle, so purchase your BART tickets and other pertinent passes before your planned day.

If you do choose to drive when visiting the Chinese New Year celebration, San Francisco hosts countless parking garages that will house your car for you for a flat all-day rate.

Bringing In a Little Adventure

If the typical Chinatown activities aren’t enough to meet the needs of your always active family, check out the Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt. This benefit competition calls for families to explore obscure San Francisco locations while learning more about Chinese history and celebration with every step. You can find out more about the treasure hunt and other family adventures by visiting any Chinatown information depot, or by surfing the Web for more information prior to your trip.