San Francisco Hosts Largest Lunar New Year Celebration In America

By Katie Dusza, News Editor

On March 7, the largest Lunar New Year Celebration outside of Asia occurred in San Francisco at the Chinese New Year Festival and Parade. This took place during The Griffin’s trip to San Francisco. 

The Lunar New Year begins on the first new moon of the first month of the lunar calendar and ends two weeks later with the full moon. The exact date of the Lunar New Year changes each year according to the lunar and solar calendars, ensuring that it can remain in January or February. The 15-day celebration begins on the evening before the start of the new lunar year.  

Olympic gold medalist and San Francisco native Eileen Gu was named the grand marshall of the Lunar New Year parade. Gu won a total of three medals in the 2022 Winter Olympics, including a gold in freestyle skiing, making her the youngest champion in the event. She won another three gold medals during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The San Francisco Lunar New Year parade was named one of the top ten parades in the world by the International Festivals & Events Association and USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice award. This parade is one of the few remaining night illuminated parades in North America.

The tradition of the parade dates back to the 1860’s. By blending the ancient traditions of the Chinese Lantern Festival with the grand scale of a classic American parade, the event offers a sensory experience unlike any other. Highlights of the parade include floats, lion dancers, school groups in costume, marching bands, stilt walkers, Chinese acrobats and a Golden Dragon. Observers can expect to hear at least 600,000 firecrackers. 

The parade route spanned 1.3 miles through San Francisco, ending near the entrance to Chinatown. Lunar New Year fell on Feb. 17, 2026, pushing the parade into March. This year’s parade took place on a rare clear, sunny day which amplified the crowds.