Thousands line San Francisco streets as Chinese New Year Parade returns

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined the streets of San Francisco on Saturday evening to take in a beloved city tradition, the annual Chinese New Year Parade.

Last year’s parade was scrapped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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"It’s a wonderful experience. We’re so lucky. It dates all the way back to 1850, so we’re honored to be here," said Brenda Wong, who walked the parade route with other members of non-profit, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project.

This year marked the year of the tiger. The parade kicked off at Market Street and 2nd Street, and wound its way around Union Square, before ending at Kearny Street and Columbus Avenue. The whole route stretched 1.3 miles through San Francisco.

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Event organizers say hundreds of yards of LED lights and more than a quarter ton of glitter were incorporated into the parade's elaborate floats and costumes.

The parade also included several special guests, including this year's grand marshal, actor and producer, Daniel Wu. The Berkeley native is best known for the films Warcraft and Tomb Raider.

The parade wrapped up with the iconic, golden dragon passing through, followed by a fireworks show, which lit up San Francisco's Union Square.

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KTVU, which started broadcasting the Chinese New Year Parade in 1987, will once again air the event.

The broadcast will be on Saturday, Feb. 26 from 6-8 pm. Watch the parade on KTVU FOX 2 or KTVU.com.