Chinese New Year

Firecrackers and lion dances are both a big part of welcoming in the Chinese New Year.

San Francisco supervisors and police representatives offer tips for safe Lunar New Year celebrations.

In Oakland Chinatown, firecrackers were lit throughout the day to chase away bad spirits and usher in the Year of the Ox.

Eleven oxen will help welcome in the new zodiac year and will be on display from February third until March 14. Each one is designed and painted by local artists.

There are many traditions surrounding the Chinese New Year. Friday will mark the beginning of the Year of the Ox and the celebration itself lasts for several days.

The celebration of the new year means many traditions and celebrations. For those who like to follow the zodiac signs, Feng Shui Master Y.C. Sun likes to provide what he calls a road map for the new year.

For the first time in parade history, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce will have its float on public display. During the weekends of Feb. 13-14 and Feb. 20-21, people can go to Pier 27, Cruise Terminal Plaza to see the float up-close, for free, between the hours of noon and 8 p.m.

Jon M. Chu’s parents have owned Chef Chu's in Los Altos for more than 50 years and it was a favorite spot for his friends and classmates. His parents immigrated to the U.S. and he says they always believed in possibility and what could be.

San Francisco's parade is the largest of its kind outside of Asia, attracting a diverse crowd of more than a hundred thousand each year.