Chinese New Year Parade

The San Francisco is one of the few remaining night illuminated Parades in North America and the biggest parade celebrating the lunar new year outside of Asia. Started in the 1860's a the Parade and Festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. 

It has also become a tradition for us to sketch the pre-parade as it is forming up on Market Street. The staging area is full of bands, lion and dragon dancers, giant puppets and floats. Maybe next year we will stay until dark and try sketching the parade when it is illuminated!– Cathy McAuliffe