SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Crews were busy Friday night at San Francisco's Pier 27, putting the finishing touches on floats for the annual Chinese New Year Parade. 25 floats are scheduled to take part in a San Francisco tradition that dates back to the 1860s.

Some New Year traditions already are taking place, including the lighting of firecrackers and a dragon dance. The dance is supposed to symbolize the chasing away of bad spirits to start the New Year.

Chinese and Vietnamese people are among those who celebrate the lunar new year, which started last Monday.

At Bong Su, a Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco, they're serving special dishes for the New Year. "Eight treasure rice, it has eight ingredients," explains chef and co-owner Tammy Huynh, "sticky rice, sweet, sweet rice means sweet life. You eat this, you will have a sweet life." Fish also is a popular dish. It symbolizes good health and means long-life for those who eat it.

As for the parade floats, some have been under construction for two months. With this being the Year of the Ox, many floats are reflecting the animal as a theme. "There's over 150 pounds of the most expensive glitter in the United States on this ox," says float builder David Thomas.

People born in the Year of the Ox are likely to be loyal, strong, brave, and honest.

The San Francisco parade is the largest Chinese New Year celebration outside of Asia. You can watch it on Saturday starting at 6 P.M. on KTVU Channel 2.