What Is Lunar New Year?In the 1950s, a man named H. K. Wong lived in California and dreamed of sharing his Chinese culture with his community. Born in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood, H. K. was now a respected business leader there. He had always been proud of his heritage and felt lucky to experience it through language, art, and food every day.
As time went on, H. K. began to wonder how he could share his roots with the rest of the community. One day, an idea came to him. What if Chinatown’s annual Lunar New Year festival could be a grand celebration for the whole city?
H. K. got to work. Together with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, he set his sights on Lunar New Year—which would take place on February 15, 1953. He recruited a huge team of volunteers, and they all worked tirelessly to build a stage, set up sound and lighting, and rehearse performances. The festival would include art exhibits, music and dance shows, the annual Miss Chinatown contest, and a spectacular parade. H. K. and the other planners spread the news widely, hoping to draw a large crowd.
On the day before Lunar New Year, the preparations for the festival were ready. H. K.’s dream was about to come to life. Streets had been transformed into an outdoor museum so visitors could enjoy looking at traditional Chinese art. Children practiced marching with their instruments, getting ready for their big performances. The sharp pop of firecrackers began to echo through the streets.
The next day, Lunar New Year officially arrived! The festival kicked off in the afternoon with drummers. All afternoon, the stage showcased Chinese orchestras, dancers, and singers. After sunset, the long-awaited parade got underway. The grand marshal was Corporal Joe Wong, a Chinese American military veteran. As cars carrying local leaders rolled down the avenue, firecrackers went off at every intersection. Through the smoke, viewers could see floats and lion dancers passing by.
The crowds that packed the streets cheered as a marching band from a Chinese school paraded by. Next came the newly crowned Miss Chinatown, Pat Kan. She glided through the avenue as she waved and smiled at the crowd.
The climax of the parade was the dragon dance. The dragon was like a long, slithering puppet that took a whole team of people to operate.
The festival continued to light up the night with sword dancers, martial arts demonstrations, a fashion show, juggling, and acrobats. Then the streets opened up for a public dance party, and people in the crowd joined in on the fun.
The next day, newspapers reported on the enormous success of the parade. About one hundred thousand people had attended! One newspaper called it “one of Grant Avenue’s greatest days.”
Eventually, the festival was expanded and was even broadcast on national television. Today, the Chinese New Year Parade and Festival in San Francisco is the biggest parade celebrating Lunar New Year outside of China. But it’s just one example of festivities for a holiday that’s celebrated by over a billion people worldwide.
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