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note: please check dates carefully, in case a site hasn't updated for 2009.
San Francisco: Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade
A giant illuminated night parade, that's been a tradition since just after the Gold Rush. Elaborate floats, martial arts, stilt walkers, lion dancers, acrobatics, 201-ft.-long Golden Dragon ("Gum Lung"), exploding firecrackers. Saturday, February 7 2009 5:15 pm (You can buy bleacher seats!) San Francisco has other Chinese New Year celebrations too: a community street fair, a Spring Festival, and more.
- Chinese New Year Parade --About.com's guide for California for Visitors has photos from past San Francisco parades.
Seattle Lunar New Year Celebration
Seattle's Chinatown/International District is the setting for lion and dragon dances, live cultural performances, children's activities, arts & crafts, food court; location in past years has been at the Union Station Great Hall, 401 South Jackson Street, with free admission. Check site for updates.
Los Angeles Golden Dragon Parade
Celebrated for over a hundred years; over 110,000 people line the route; takes place in LA's Chinatown, and 2009 date is Feb. 9. Los Angeles also has a Chinese New Year Festival, with family fun.
More Los Angeles Chinese New Year Celebrations
And Vietnamese New Year festivities, too.
Los Angeles: Universal Studios Hollywood
Look for festivities for the Lunar New Year and Chinese Lantern Festival in this popular theme park. Previous years have seen a 2-hour spectacle and nearly 200 performers: dancers, acrobats, stilt walkers, singers from the Beijing Opera Troupe... all included with regular park admission. Also, a parade through the Universal CityWalk entertainment zone.
Chinese New Year in New York City
About's Guide for New York City offers a roundup of this year's celebrations, and also has pictures of the Dragon Parade.
Queens: Lunar New Year Parade
Flushing, Queens, is home to a large Chinese population, rivaling Manhattan's Chinatown. Other east Asian communities -- especially Koreans-- join in a major Lunar New Year Parade, with dragon dancers, steel drummers, and fireworks. About's Guide for Queens has details, above.
Washington DC: Chinese New Year Parade
Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated in Chinatown with parade, Lion and Dragon Dances, and other festivities. Look out for a giant firecracker!
Honolulu's Chinatown
Many festivals and traditions for Chinese New Year, including Lion Dance, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat races.
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Vancouver, BC
Vancouver has a large Chinese community, and the Spring Parade is held annually in Chinatown on the first Sunday of the Lunar New Year, with entertainment and lion dance. Call the Vancouver Touristinfo Centre, 604-683-2000, or check HelloBC. 2009 Parade takes place at noon on February 1. Nearby are activities at the beautiful Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden: admission by donation on the day of the Parade, with family fun such as music, fortune telling, craft demonstrations.
Toronto Lunar New Year
Check for updates for 2009: typically an event takes place at Exhibition Place, with lion dances, acrobats, magic shows, Asian foods, market fair.
Chinese New Year in Canada - Overview
Calgary, Ottawa, and Montreal also have celebrations.
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Round the World: Chinese New Year Celebrations
Chinese New Year - in China
About.com's Guide to China has background and historical info about Chinese New Year and the Lantern festival; photos; activity calendar; and even a Q & A for travelers. Fireworks happen everywhere!
Chinese New Year in Hong Kong
Huge celebrations; the International Chinese New Year Parade is a must-see, as are the fireworks over the harbor. Many Chinese celebrations around the world have their roots in Hong Kong, and were spread through emigration.
Singapore
Major festivities! All-night "Parade of Dreams" (huge fireworks, two parades, 3000 performers, pyrotechnic floats; annual Chinatown "light up" and over a month of celebrations; riverside cultural exposition (music, crafts, fireworks) and visit from the "God of Fortune".
London
About's Guide for London for Visitors covers Chinese New Year festivities in London. 2007 saw a parade and Lion Dance from Chinatown to Trafalgar Square, and festival in Trafalgar Square with performances throughout the day, and celebrations in Chinatown all weekend.
Chinese New Year Celebrations Around the UK
Manchester has a Golden Dragon Parade, small town of Chatham has a big festival... many cities in the UK join the party!
Chinese New Year in Paris
Paris has a large French-Chinese community, and Chinese New Year is one of the city's most popular annual events, with parade and weeks of performing arts.
Helsinki, Finland
Chinese New Year is celebrated big-time -- thanks to cooperation between the cities of Helsinki and Beijing-- with fireworks, performances, a Chinese market, and live broadcasts of Beijing festivities. 15 days after Chinese New Year, a Lantern Festival is held with free entertainment.
For other cities around the world, find out about events at Festivals.com. (Just enter "Chinese New Year" in the search box.)
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It's the year 4707, and time to welcome the Year of the Ox!
