Fireworks, food vendors, music and floats — the annual Chinese New Year parade brought out excited crowds.
Many people braved chilly temperatures along the Embarcadero all the way to Chinatown in San Francisco Saturday afternoon as they came out to celebrate the Year of the Dog.
"The Year of the Dog is all about loyalty and playfulness, and everyone has a really nice, strong connection to dogs, and really strong emotional response, so it’s really fun," said Stephanie Mufson who has been part of the parade as a float master for the last 10 years.
According to organizers, San Francisco is the largest Chinese New Year parade outside of China, as a million people were expected to be in attendance.
Participants enjoyed delicious food, music, dancing, and of course, the dragon dance — a strong symbol of Asian culture.
"The dragon dancing I believe is about taking away the bad spirit," said Mikeala Desirous from Sacramento. "It will let good vibes come in."
For the parade, the city blocked off Market Street with two large dump trucks as a new security precaution to prevent someone from driving into the crowds.
Local
"Chinese New Year is hectic but I love it," said Mia Allen, visiting from Australia. "It feels like literally, you are in China but like the craziest part of China, It’s great!"
